U.S. Army Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl’s attorney is slamming Donald Trump, accusing the GOP presidential candidate of hurting his client’s ability to get a fair trial.
“[Trump must] cease his prejudicial months-long campaign of defamation against our client,” Eugene Fidell told The Associated Press on Monday.
“I have no idea what Mr. Trump has in mind and I don’t think Mr. Trump has any idea of what he has in mind,” he added. “I think he’s a big faker.”
{mosads}Bergdahl, a former Taliban prisoner of war, is facing a court-martial over charges of desertion and endangering fellow troops when he left his post in Afghanistan. He was captured by the Taliban and imprisoned until May 2014.
Trump has repeatedly criticized President Obama’s decision to exchange five Taliban prisoners for the captured American and has called Bergdahl a “no-good traitor.”
During a rally in Las Vegas Monday, Trump also suggested that troops who faced similar allegations in the past would have been executed.
“If I get in, we will review his case,” Trump vowed.
“Fifty years ago, what would’ve happened?” he continued, while pretending to hold an imaginary rifle.
“Boom,” he added, pretending to pull the trigger.
Fidell said Tuesday that such remarks are making it difficult for his client to receive a fair trial.
He also criticized lawmakers in Congress who have commented on Bergdahl’s case.
“Given this sort of barrage of vilification and now arm-twisting by the Senate and House Armed Service committees, which obviously wield tremendous influence over the military, I have to say that this is very troubling,” Fidell said.
He argued that congressional committees should not interfere with pending court cases.
A recent House Armed Services Committee investigation concluded that the Obama administration violated the law by not providing Congress with 30 days notice before swapping the Taliban prisoners for Bergdahl.
Bergdahl has defended his actions, saying he left his post to get the attention of senior officials so that he could detail problems with his unit.