Trump pardoned his former national security assistant, Flynn

The White House said that this pardon “stops the ruthless, politicized persecution of an innocent man”

FILE – In this Nov. 20, 2020, file photo President Donald Trump listens during a news conference in the briefing room at the White House in Washington. (AP Photo/Susan Walsh, File)

U.S. President Donald Trump said Wednesday he pardoned his former national security assistant, Michael Flynn.

“I am honored to announce that General Michael Flynn has received a full pardon. Congratulations to General Flynn and his beautiful family, I know you’re going to have a truly fantastic Thanksgiving now”, –  the American leader wrote on Twitter.

As the White House press office later reported, Flynn’s pardon decree was signed by Trump on Wednesday. “The president pardoned General Flynn because he should never have been brought to trial. The independent review of the Flynn case by the DOJ <…> confirms this conclusion. In the case the Ministry of Justice concluded that the charges against General Flynn should be dropped. This pardon is the achievement of that goal, [it] finally ends the ruthless, politicized persecution of an innocent man,” the press release says.

“General Flynn’s prosecution is yet another reminder of what has long been evident: after the 2016 election, the outgoing administration [former President Barack Obama] refused to accept the choice the American people made in voting and worked to undermine the [process] of peaceful transition”,-  the White House said.