Court-martialed Army officer ‘humbled’ by pardon from Trump

Published May 29, 2025 2:58pm ET



Former Lt. Mark Bashaw took a victory lap Wednesday night on social media following a pardon granted to him by President Donald Trump, which came three years after he was court-martialed for rejecting COVID-19 mandates.

Bashaw was convicted in 2022 after he failed to provide negative COVID-19 tests and opted out of wearing a mask at work, which followed a vaccine mandate from then-Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin for all service members. Bashaw’s court-martial gave him a criminal record, and he was later discharged in 2023. His criminal record has since been wiped out after receiving a pardon from Trump this week.

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