Trump pardons Army officers Lorance and Golsteyn over Pentagon war-crimes objections

Trump granted full pardons to former Army Lieutenant Clint Lorance, who was six years into a 19-year sentence for ordering soldiers to fire on unarmed men in Afghanistan, and to Army Major Mathew Golsteyn, who faced a murder trial over the extrajudicial killing of a suspected Taliban bombmaker. The White House statement framed the action as an exercise of the president's power to grant "mercy" as commander-in-chief. Senior Pentagon officials and military justice experts had lobbied against the clemency before it was announced, warning it would undermine the military justice system and introduce doubt into the chain of command; the Army said afterward it would nonetheless implement the pardons. The action is distinct from Trump's separate November 24 intervention restoring Navy SEAL Edward Gallagher's rank and ousting the Navy secretary who resisted.

“The President, as Commander-in-Chief, is ultimately responsible for ensuring that the law is enforced and when appropriate, that mercy is granted.” Quote verified against source