Photo: Sandy Huffaker/Getty
According toEdward Gallagher‘s Instagram account, he met with President Trump at his Mar-A-Lago resort and gave the president a “gift” from his time serving in Iraq.
During Gallagher’s time in Iraq, as a platoon chief, he was accused of multiple war crimes, including shooting at civilians and killing a sedated teen ISIS member with a hunting knife who was being held captive and receiving medical aid,The New York Timesreported at the time.
He stood trial last summer but was acquitted on charges of first-degree murder and attempted murder of civilians. He was convicted of the lesser crime of posing for inappropriate photos with a dead captive after having admitted to posing with the teen ISIS fighter’s corpse,The Timesreported.
ANew York Timesreportpublished Friday morning revealed direct quotes from members of Gallagher’s former SEAL team, who told investigators they were worried about their chief’s actions.
“The guy is freaking evil,” Special Operator Miller told investigators, according toThe Times.
“The guy was toxic,” said Special Operator First Class Joshua Vriens, a sniper, in another interview.
“You could tell he was perfectly O.K. with killing anybody that was moving,” Special Operator First Class Corey Scott, a medic in the platoon, told Navy investigators, according toThe Times, which reported that the platoon members declined to comment to the newspaper.
Gallagher denied the most serious allegations against him, and his family members have repeatedly appeared on Fox News to defend him and brand him as a hero. His lawyer, Timothy Parlatore, told theTimesthe soldiers’ accounts were riddled with inconsistencies, and Gallagher himself has said his accusers concocted their accounts to cover up their inability to meet his high standards.
After the accusations against Gallagher, Republican lawmakers and conservative media outlets rallied around him.
President Trump publicly jumped to Gallagher’s defense, reversing Gallagher’s demotion and then directing the Navy to not take away Gallagher’s trident pin — a symbol of membership in the prestigious Navy SEALs.
Navy Special Operations Chief Edward Gallagher, right, walks with his wife, Andrea Gallagher, left, as they arrive to military court in June.Julie Watson/AP/Shutterstock
A day after Gallagher was acquitted of the most serious charges against him, Trumptweeted, “Congratulations to Navy Seal Eddie Gallagher, his wonderful wife Andrea, and his entire family. You have been through much together. Glad I could help!”
Gallagher and his wife Andrea share an Instagram account, which showed a series of photos with President Trump and First LadyMelania Trumpat their Mar-a-Lago resort over the weekend where they said they met the president and thanked him for defending him.
source: people.com
