Trump intervenes in case of Navy Seal charged in stabbing of Isis prisoner

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2019/mar/30/trump-navy-seal-war-crime-isis-prisoner-stabbing-fox-friends

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Donald Trump cited the Fox & Friends TV show on Saturday as he announced his intervention in the case of a US Navy Seal charged with murder in the stabbing of a teenage Islamic State fighter taken prisoner in Iraq.

Special operations chief Edward Gallagher is accused of killing the teenager while he was under his care, then holding his re-enlistment ceremony with the corpse. Navy prosecutors also accuse Gallagher of shooting two civilians in Iraq and opening fire on crowds.

Gallagher has pleaded not guilty to all charges. His lawyers say disgruntled Seals made the accusations because they wanted rid of a demanding platoon leader.

Earlier this month, 18 House Republicans wrote to the navy secretary, Richard Spencer, raising concerns about Gallagher’s confinement at a navy brig in San Diego, California.

The Republicans said family and friends reported Gallagher had not had sufficient access to his attorneys and was not receiving enough food or adequate medical care.

“Chief Gallagher is a decorated war fighter who, like all service members, is entitled to the presumption of innocence while awaiting court-martial,” the letter said.

Last month, a military judge postponed trial after defense lawyers asked for more time. The trial was reset for 28 May.

On Saturday, the president was at his resort in Florida. Before leaving to play golf he said in a tweet Gallagher would be moved to less restrictive confinement.

This was “in honour of his past service to our country”, Trump wrote, adding: “Process should move quickly!”

Trump also name-checked Ralph Norman, a representative from South Carolina, and Fox & Friends, with which Norman discussed the case on Friday.

Trump’s affinity for Fox News has extended to appointing alumni to his administration and presenters appearing onstage at his rallies.

Trump’s fondness for the morning magazine show has been documented extensively and its influence over the president’s thinking acknowledged widely. The relationship has not been entirely smooth.

Speaking to Fox & Friends host Brian Kilmeade on his radio show on Friday, Norman said he was thankful to Trump for being “a man of his word” and “a great president”.

Kilmeade then trailed Trump’s decision, saying: “So the president of the United States, citing the work of Ralph Norman and [California representative] Duncan Hunter, called me an hour ago, right here, and in the break I was able to … inform … Eddie’s wife Andrea, that they are moving him to a minimum security prison in the area, where he can see his family, where he can meet with his counsel and where he can prepare for his May trial.”

Hunter is a former US marine who is currently under indictment for the alleged misuse of campaign funds.

Kilmeade told Norman Trump “cited your great work for alarming him and alerting him to this situation” and said “the president understands that when you go to war, all bets are off”.

“The president can take a pardon off the table but he wants to see the trial,” the host added.

This is not the first time Trump has cited Fox News while taking an interest in a case involving a US serviceman on combat duty.

In December, Trump cited Fox News host Pete Hegseth in a tweet that said he would “be reviewing the case of a ‘U.S. Military hero,’ Major Matt Golsteyn”, a former green beret “who is charged with murder” and “could face the death penalty from our own government after he admitted to killing a terrorist bomb maker while overseas”.