Full Breakdown
Trump Praises Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth While Revisiting Controversial Soldier Pardons
7/17/2026, 6:24:34 AM
Event Overview
At the Pennsylvania Defense and Innovation Summit held at the U.S. Army War College in Carlisle, President Donald Trump lauded Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, calling him “amazing” and commending his work at the Pentagon. During the remarks, Trump recounted a past conversation in which he asked Hegseth to secure pardons for a group of soldiers, linking the discussion to the high-profile clemency decisions made during his first term. The audience responded with laughter as Trump highlighted Hegseth’s former role as a Fox News presenter.
Background on Hegseth and the Pardoned Soldiers
Pete Hegseth, a former Fox News host, lobbied Trump on behalf of three service members: Navy SEAL Edward Gallagher, Major Mathew Golsteyn and Army 1st Lieutenant Clint Lorance. Gallagher faced charges after stabbing a 17-year-old ISIS prisoner and photographing the corpse; he was later acquitted of murder but convicted of “wrongfully posing for an unofficial picture with a human casualty.” Golsteyn and Lorance were each charged with the murder of Afghan civilians. Trump granted pardons to Golsteyn and Lorance on 15 November 2019 and reversed Gallagher’s demotion on 4 November 2019, allowing him to retain his Trident Pin.
Official Statements & Responses
Trump’s summit comments framed the pardons as routine, noting he “pardoned a lot of people and they’ve all been well behaved.” He also praised Hegseth’s current efforts to eliminate “woke” ideology and diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives from the military, emphasizing a “warfighting” mindset. Hegseth’s tenure has included daily press briefings on the Iran-related Operation Epic Fury, during which he challenged journalists he deemed hostile.
Criticism & Opposition
Critics have highlighted Gallagher’s conviction for an unauthorized photograph and questioned the moral implications of pardoning service members accused of civilian killings. Observers note that the pardons broke with military convention and sparked debate over accountability for wartime conduct.
Verbatim Quotes
- “You know, he used to do interviews and all he wanted to talk about is war,” — Donald Trump, President of the United States
- “‘Sir, will you give a pardon to 19 soldiers?’” — Donald Trump, President of the United States
- “ open image in gallery President Donald Trump praised Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, insisting he has done a ‘great job’ in the Pentagon ( Getty ) The president’s remarks were met with laughter in the room and he continued to say of Hegseth: “He was very successful on television, actually.” — Donald Trump, President of the United States
- “I think he probably hated it because he can’t love anything more than what he’s doing right now and he’s doing it incredibly well so great job Pete. Appreciate it.” — Donald Trump, President of the United States
