Trump Pardons Officer Helping China, Fails to Pardon Jan 6th
Donald Trump, known for his 'America First' rhetoric, has extended a presidential pardon to Baimadajie Angwang, a former NYPD officer convicted of acting as an unregistered agent for China. Angwang admitted helping China monitor Tibetan expats and funneling information back to Beijing. This pardon, according to The Independent , erases a conviction for assisting a foreign adversary's surveillance
activities on U.S. soil. One might wonder about the criteria for such clemency. As of January 2024, hundreds of individuals involved in the January 6th Capitol riot—a domestic event driven by Trump's own rhetoric—remain unpardoned, facing significant legal consequences. The contrast is stark: aiding a foreign power's espionage is forgiven, while challenging an election result at home carries a
heavier sentence. It appears some national security breaches are more easily overlooked than others, especially when political convenience is involved.