President-elect Donald Trump’s pick for defense secretary, Pete Hegseth, defended his support for service members accused and convicted of war crimes on Tuesday. Hegseth emphasized that there was 'prosecutorial misconduct' in their cases and expressed pride in ensuring they were looked after.
During questioning from Sen. Jack Reed, Hegseth clarified that he was not advocating for disregarding the laws of war, the Geneva Conventions, or the Uniform Code of Military Justice. He highlighted the challenges faced by service members due to restrictive rules of engagement on the battlefield, which he believed hindered the defeat of enemies.
Hegseth pointed out that in many of the cases in question, evidence had been withheld and there were instances of prosecutorial misconduct. He stressed his approach of examining each case individually and supporting the warfighters who were directly involved in combat situations.
Reports indicated that Hegseth had privately advised President Trump to pardon certain servicemen convicted of war crimes during Trump's first term. Subsequently, Trump pardoned Army Maj. Mathew Golsteyn and 1st Lt. Clint Lorance, as well as restored the rank of Navy SEAL Eddie Gallagher, who had faced demotion.
Hegseth has consistently reiterated his backing for Gallagher, Golsteyn, and Lorance. Prior to the pardons, Golsteyn had faced charges related to the 2010 murder of an Afghan civilian, while Lorance was found guilty of second-degree murder for ordering his troops to open fire on three individuals in Afghanistan. Gallagher had been acquitted of most charges linked to the death of a 12-year-old ISIS fighter in Iraq, although he was convicted of posing for a photo with the deceased fighter.
