Ex-Army Officer Who Defied Pandemic Orders Receives Presidential Pardon

In a recent series of presidential clemency, former President Donald Trump granted a pardon on Wednesday to Mark Bashaw, a retired Army first lieutenant. Bashaw had been convicted in 2022 for his refusal to adhere to COVID-19 safety protocols while serving at Aberdeen Proving Ground in Maryland.

Bashaw made a public announcement via social media regarding the pardon, expressing gratitude towards Trump and his supporters for their stance against what he termed tyranny. He also shared an image that alluded to conspiracy theories alleging that global elites engineered the COVID-19 pandemic.

Bashaw was serving as an entomologist and company commander at the Army Public Health Center when he faced a court-martial. A conviction has been handed down for an individual who refused to telework, neglected to submit mandatory COVID-19 test results, and consistently breached mask mandates. Bashaw has become the first service member to face court-martial for violating military COVID protocols.

Bashaw, despite avoiding prison time, was found guilty and subsequently discharged from the Army in 2023. Trump has received a pardon, effectively clearing his criminal record.

In a move that resonates with ongoing initiatives by former President Trump and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, efforts are underway to reverse penalties placed on service members who opposed pandemic-related mandates, particularly those who were discharged for refusing the vaccine.

More than 500,000 members of the U.S. military tested positive for COVID-19 from 2020 to 2023, with reported fatalities due to the virus remaining below 100.

Trump's decision to grant clemency to Bashaw highlights an ongoing effort to challenge the enforcement of military mandates imposed during the pandemic. 

The White House and former President Trump's team have not issued a formal statement regarding the pardon.

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