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President Donald Trump issued a pardon on Wednesday to former Army officer Lt. Mark Bashaw, who was convicted by a military court for refusing to comply with the Pentagon’s COVID-19 protocols.
Bashaw was discharged from the Army in 2022 under the Biden administration after declining the COVID-19 vaccine and refusing to follow related safety measures. He would not work remotely, submit to virus testing before reporting to duty, or wear a mask indoors, with a military judge finding him guilty of disobeying lawful orders.
Despite the conviction, no formal punishment was imposed. However, the court-martial resulted in a criminal record, which is now nullified by Trump’s pardon.
The former officer, who served as a company commander at the Army Public Health Center headquarters at Aberdeen Proving Ground in Maryland, was the first U.S. service member to face a court-martial over the military’s COVID-19 rules. Bashaw has maintained that his conviction stemmed from his refusal to comply with what he called “lies,” according to a 2023 statement on X.
The military’s vaccine mandate began in August 2021 under then-Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, who stated that the measure was necessary to protect readiness and safeguard the health of troops. The requirement was rescinded in January 2023 as pandemic-related restrictions were rolled back.
Thousands of service members were involuntarily discharged for refusing the vaccine, but Bashaw’s court-martial marked a unique escalation of enforcement.
Earlier this year, Trump signed an executive order aimed at reinstating discharged service members who had refused the COVID-19 vaccine. The Jan. 27 directive promised full back pay, restored benefits, and streamlined medical screenings for returning troops.
The Pentagon has since begun outreach efforts to encourage those affected to rejoin the Armed Forces.
Bashaw’s pardon was part of a broader round of clemency actions announced Thursday, which also included high-profile figures such as a former Chicago gang leader and reality TV personalities Todd and Julie Chrisley, known for their show “Chrisley Knows Best.”
“Your parents are going to be free and clean and I hope that we can do it by tomorrow,” Trump told their daughter, Savannah Chrisley, during a phone call captured in a video shared online Tuesday by a White House aide. The aide accompanied the post with the phrase, “Trump Knows Best!”
“They’ve been given a pretty harsh treatment based on what I’m hearing,” Trump added in the same conversation.
