Chelsea Manning doesn't appear all that grateful to former President Barack Obama for commuting a majority of her 35-year prison sentence.
In her article, “Compromise does not work with our political opponents. When will we learn?” published in The Guardian, Manning insinuates that the former president was a weak leader who left office with “very few permanent accomplishments.”
“The one simple lesson to draw from President Obama’s legacy: do not start off with a compromise,” she writes. “They won’t meet you in the middle. Instead, what we need is an unapologetic progressive leader.”
President Donald Trump took to his favorite social media platform to call out Manning for her article.
Ungrateful TRAITOR Chelsea Manning, who should never have been released from prison, is now calling President Obama a weak leader. Terrible!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 26, 2017
Many, including President Trump and Vice President Mike Pence, were outraged that Obama commuted the sentence of the former army intelligence analyst who leaked classified documents in 2010.
On Wednesday, January 18, two days before Trump’s inauguration, Trump Press Secretary Sean Spicer said Trump was troubled by the action.
“It sends a very troubling message when it comes to the handling of classified information and … consequences to those who leak information that threatens the safety of our nation,” Spicer said.
Obama defended his decision, arguing that Manning “took responsibility for her crime.”