The Marine who was under investigation for appearing at a Trump rally will not be disciplined, the Washington Examiner has learned.
Lance Cpl. Hunter Clark was investigated for potentially violating the political activities directive within the Department of Defense policy for coming onstage at former President Donald Trump’s Sept. 25 “Save America” rally in Perry, Georgia. The inspector general, II MEF, Camp Lejeune, North Carolina, cleared him of wrongdoing.
ACTIVE-DUTY TROOPS IN EACH MILITARY BRANCH EXCEED 90% PARTIAL OR FULL VACCINATION
After being called onstage by the former president, Clark introduced himself as “the guy that pulled the baby over the wall,” referencing the viral video of a service member near the gates of Hamid Karzai International Airport amid the tumultuous noncombatant evacuation operation efforts during the final stretch of the Afghanistan War.
His command said he was not the Marine in the Aug. 19 viral video. The lance corporal had said, “It’s definitely probably one of the greatest things I’ve done in my entire life.”
Rep. Michael Waltz, a former Green Beret, defended Clark and reached out to Gen. David Berger, the commandant of the Marine Corps, in a letter last month, and he urged the military leader to “consider the perspective of conservatives who believe the military is unevenly applying justice to service members who hold conservative beliefs.”
The Corps informed Waltz’s office on Wednesday of the conclusion of the investigation, according to a spokesperson.
Investigators “determined that the evidence did not establish, by a preponderance, that Lance Corporal Clark knew he was attending a political event,” the note from the Marine Corps to a Waltz staffer, provided to the Washington Examiner, reads. “It did establish that his mother and a friend planned for him to meet some ‘important’ people and that he was not sure who he would meet.”
CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER
“Further, while Lance Corporal Clark identified himself at the prompting of former President Trump, and in doing so did speak at a political event, he did not do so in a manner which violates applicable guidelines, orders or directives,” it added. “The Commanding Officer will not be proceeding with any disciplinary/legal action concerning Lance Corporal Clark based on the results of the inquiry. However, Lance Corporal Clark did receive an administrative counseling for traveling further than authorized while in a liberty status.”
The Marines did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
