Trump pardons U.S. soldiers

WASHINGTON—President Donald Trump on Friday said his leniency toward three U.S. military members accused of war crimes would give armed services members “the confidence to fight.” White House press secretary Stephanie Grisham said the president is responsible for ensuring the law is enforced and that “mercy is granted” when appropriate.

Whom did he pardon and why? Former Army 1st Lt. Clint Lorance was convicted of second-degree murder for ordering his men to fire upon three unarmed Afghans. Maj. Mathew Golsteyn faced charges of killing an unarmed suspected bomb-maker. In addition to granting clemency, Trump also ordered a promotion for Navy SEAL Edward Gallagher, who posed with the corpse of an Islamic State (ISIS) captive in 2017.

Dig deeper: From the WORLD archives, read Laura Finch’s report in The Stew about other pardons Trump has issued.