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Army general denies request by officer pardoned by Trump to have his Special Forces tab reinstated Army general denies request by officer pardoned by Trump to have his Special Forces tab reinstated
(about 1 hour later)
An Army general has denied a request by an officer pardoned in an open murder case by President Trump to have his Special Forces tab reinstated, setting up a potential showdown between senior defense officials and the White House. An Army general has denied a request by an officer pardoned in an open murder case by President Trump to have his Special Forces tab reinstated, setting up a potential flashpoint with the commander in chief.
The decoration for retired Army Maj. Mathew L. Golsteyn was denied in December by Lt. Gen. Francis M. Beaudette, the commander of U.S. Army Special Operations Command, two defense officials said on Thursday, speaking on condition of anonymity due to the sensitivity of the issue. The Army followed by asking an administrative board that reviews personnel decision to consider several decisions involving Golsteyn, the officials said. The decoration for retired Army Maj. Mathew L. Golsteyn was denied Dec. 3 by Lt. Gen. Francis M. Beaudette, the commander of U.S. Army Special Operations Command, the Army disclosed Thursday.
Golsteyn faced trial this year for the alleged murder of a Taliban bomb maker in Marja, Afghanistan, in February 2010. Golsteyn acknowledged killing the man, but said he had set a lawful ambush for him. The service said in statement that it will next have an administrative panel consider whether it should reinstate the Special Forces Tab and a Distinguished Service Cross – the military’s second-highest valor award – and expunge a letter of reprimand Golsteyn received in connection with his case.
Also up for consideration is whether a board will allow Golsteyn to receive a Distinguished Service Cross — considered one step down from the Medal of Honor – that had been approved before he came under investigation, the officials said. Golsteyn was awaiting trial this year in the alleged murder of a Taliban bomb maker in Marja, Afghanistan, in February 2010. The service first opened an investigation into Golsteyn after he disclosed the killing during a 2011 polygraph as the CIA was considering him for a job. Army officials revoked the tab and valor award in 2014 while issuing the reprimand and charged Golsteyn with murder in 2018.
The administrative board of corrections also will consider to expunge a letter of reprimand issued to Golsteyn by a general. Inside the stunning fall and war-crimes investigation of an Army Green Beret
Matthew Golsteyn planned to join the CIA and go to Iraq before he faced a murder charge The general’s action to deny Golsteyn’s reinstatement request follows Trump’s decision in November to pardon Golsteyn along with former 1st Lt. Clint Lorance, an Army officer who had been convicted of murder in Afghanistan. Trump also decided to reinstate the rank of a Navy SEAL, Chief Petty Officer Edward Gallagher, who was acquitted of murder last year but convicted of posing with an Islamic State corpse in Iraq.
The Army’s action follows Trump’s decision in November to pardon Golsteyn, who faced court-martial this year, along with another Army officer who had been convicted of murder. Trump also decided to reinstate the rank of a Navy SEAL, Chief Petty Officer Edward Gallagher, who was acquitted of murder last year but convicted of posing with an Islamic State corpse in Iraq. Golsteyn, reached for comment Thursday evening, said he had not yet heard about the decision until it was first reported by The Post. A few minutes later, he and his lawyer, Phil Stackhouse, said they had just received notification from the Army.
After Trump’s announcement, the Navy decided it would consider whether to seize Gallagher’s SEAL Trident pin, effectively kicking him out of the elite force. Trump responded angrily by saying they would not, setting up a showdown that eventually led to the ouster of Navy Secretary Richard V. Spencer. “I’m disappointed, but I’m not surprised,” Golsteyn said. “I was really hoping they would do the right thing.”
Beaudette’s decision has some parallels to the Navy’s decision in November to convene a board to decide whether it would revoke Gallagher’s Naval Special Warfare Trident pin, a move that effectively would oust him from the elite force. Trump responded angrily, blocking the move, a decision that led to the ouster of Navy Secretary Richard V. Spencer.