Trump meets with Bulgarian prime minister

November 25, 2019

President Trump met with Bulgarian Prime Minister Boyko Borissov Monday for the prime minister’s first visit to the White House of Mr. Trump’s presidency. A senior administration official told reporters on a conference call ahead of the meeting, most of which took place behind closed doors, that the two would discuss how to help Bulgaria fight corruption and strengthen ties between the two nations.

But it was the president’s decision to vindicate Navy SEAL Eddie Gallagher that took up the spotlight during the part of their meeting open to the cameras Monday. Mr. Trump pardoned Gallagher, who was accused of war crimes and convicted by his military peers of posing next to a corpse. Navy Secretary Richard Spencer resigned at the request of Defense Secretary Mark Esper, who cited a private proposal by Spencer to the White House to restore the rank of Gallagher. Esper confirmed Monday that the president ordered him to let Gallagher keep his Trident military pin.

Mr. Trump continued to defend his defense of Gallagher on Monday, reiterating his allegiance to U.S. troops.

“They wanted to take his pin away and I said no you’re not going to take his pin away,” the president said during his meeting with the Bulgarian leader. “…We’re gonna protect our war fighters.”

Mr. Trump continues to insist that the U.S. military needs to be able to fight, and make tough decisions, without consequence.