In a letter shared on Thursday the Army refused to reinstate the Special Forces designation of a Green Beret who was charged with committing premeditated murder more than ten years go. Back in November, he received clemency from Donald Trump.
Maj. Matt Golsteyn was accused of murdering an Afghan man in 2010 while he was deployed in Afghanistan. When he returned to the United States he had not been charged. He was later charged after he admitted to the killing while taking a polygraph exam that he was taking for a job at the CIA. During the exam, Golsteyn admitted that he killed the man during an ambush.
In November, Trump dismissed all charges against Golsteyn. He dismissed Golsteyn’s charges at the same time that he intervened in two other high-profile military cases.
Trump also pardoned petty chief officer Eddie Gallagher, a Navy SEAL that was convicted of posing with a dead body and acquitted of other far more serious charges. He also pardoned Clint Lorance, a former Army first lieutenant, who was serving 19 years for ordering soldiers in his charge to fire on unarmed Afghan men. Both Gallagher and Lorance have attended and spoken at Trump’s political rallies.
In December of last year, the army contacted Golsteyn’s attorney to let him know that it was denying a request to reinstate his Special Forces tab. More than $10,000 Golsteyn owed for being on leave was forgiven.
The Army stuck by its decision not reinstate Golsteyn’s status on Thursday. The Army’s stance could cause a battle between the Defense Department and the White House.
Trump’s role in Gallagher’s pardon resulted in the firing of Richard Spencer who was at the time the Secretary of the Navy.
