In November 2019, former President Donald Trump went against the advice of his top military leaders to pardon Mathew Golsteyn—a disgraced Army major who was, at the time, facing murder charges for killing an unarmed Afghan who he mistakenly believed was a bomb-maker for the Taliban. Golsteyn may now have his freedom, but, according to USA Today, the Army has rejected his pleas to get his medals back. The decision was reached last June, well before Trump left the White House, but was only revealed in documents released this week. According to the report, the Army also denied Golsteyn’s request to restore his Special Forces tab, which distinguishes him as an elite soldier. While applying for a job with the CIA, Golsteyn reportedly admitted that he had killed the man, but Trump’s pardon abruptly canceled the major’s court martial.
