President Donald Trump has issued a pardon for former Army Lt. Mark Bashaw, who faced a court-martial and a criminal conviction after refusing to comply with Biden-era Covid mandates. Bashaw’s refusal to take the Covid-19 vaccine, wear a mask indoors, or submit to routine testing led to his prosecution under the military’s strict vaccine requirements implemented by then-Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin in 2021. Bashaw, the first service member to stand trial over the rules, was convicted in 2022 but avoided jail time.
Bashaw’s stand against the mandates sparked attention as thousands of service members faced involuntary discharge for rejecting the vaccine. In a 2023 post, Bashaw explained his defiance, saying the trial happened because he “refused to participate with lies.” His criminal record has now been cleared by President Trump’s pardon, restoring his good standing.
Trump’s decision aligns with broader efforts by his administration to reverse the damage done to military personnel by Biden’s Covid mandates. His team has pushed policies to allow those discharged over the vaccine refusal to rejoin the military with full back pay, recognizing the injustice many faced under the previous administration’s policies.
Bashaw’s pardon was part of a wave of clemency actions taken by Trump this week. The president also pardoned former New York Rep. Michael Grimm, who pleaded guilty to tax evasion, and former Connecticut Gov. John Rowland. Trump granted a pardon to rapper NBA Youngboy, whose real name is Kentrell Gaulden. The rapper thanked the president in an Instagram post, saying, “It opens the door to a future I’ve worked hard for and I am fully prepared to step into this.”
