Trump clears soldiers of war crimes, including Army First Lieutenant Clint Lorance, accused of ordering the killing of killing unarmed Afghans
On Friday, November 15, President Donald Trump cleared three armed service members of war crimes they were either charged or convicted of.
"Trump signed an Executive Grant of Clemency (Full Pardon) for Army First Lieutenant Clint Lorance, an Executive Grant of Clemency (Full Pardon) for Army Major Mathew Golsteyn, and an order directing the promotion of Special Warfare Operator First Class Edward R. Gallagher to the grade of E-7, the rank he held before he was tried and found not guilty of nearly all of the charges against him," according to a written statement from the office of the White House Press Secretary.
Before being granted the clemencies, Golsteyn's trial was set to begin next month, Lorance had been convicted of murder for ordering soldiers under his command to open fire on three unarmed Afgan men, two of whom died and Gallagher was acquitted of murder, but convicted on a lesser charge in a war crimes case.
After his demotion was reversed, Gallagher said in a social media post: "There are no words to describe how grateful my family and I are to our President - Donald J Trump for his intervention and decision."
The POTUS' decision to grant absolute pardons to the three service members defied the rulings made by military leaders, who sought to punish the three men. Trump even called the three men after granting them clemencies.
Back in October, when the White House was deliberating intervening in Golsteyn's case, Trump had sided with him, saying, "We train our boys to be killing machines, then prosecute them when they kill!"
Following his decision on Friday, the White House's statement read: "The United States military justice system helps ensure good order and discipline for our millions of uniformed military members and holds to account those who violate the Uniform Code of Military Justice. Due in part to this system, we have the most disciplined, most effective, most respected, and most feared fighting force in the world."
It added, however: "The President, as Commander-in-Chief, is ultimately responsible for ensuring that the law is enforced and when appropriate, that mercy is granted."