Trump Congratulates Navy SEAL Acquitted of Murder: ‘Glad I Could Help’

President Donald Trump tweeted his congratulations on Wednesday to Special Operations Chief Edward Gallagher, the decorated Navy SEAL who was acquitted of murdering an injured teen ISIS fighter under his care in 2017. “Congratulations to Navy Seal Eddie Gallagher, his wonderful wife Andrea, and his entire family. You have been through much together. Glad I could help!” Trump wrote about Tuesday’s verdict. The president had considered pardoning Gallagher—who was convicted of posing with the 17-year-old ISIS fighter’s body—before the two-week trial in San Diego.

Gallagher, 39, also thanked the president and Fox News Wednesday morning, praising the two for championing his defense. “I want to say thank you to you, Fox News—to you guys, Pete, for being with us from day one,” Gallagher told Fox News host Pete Hegseth during a segment on Fox & Friends. Gallagher was charged in September with over a dozen offenses after being accused of killing the teen militant and shooting multiple Iraqi civilians in 2017—including a school-aged girl. He was cleared of all but one of the charges against him.