In a significant move, former President Donald Trump granted a pardon on Friday to Michael McMahon, a former New York police sergeant convicted for his involvement in a high-profile case tied to China’s alleged efforts to silence critics abroad. McMahon, 58, was sentenced to 18 months in prison earlier this year for acting as an illegal foreign agent and stalking, charges stemming from what federal authorities described as a ‘campaign of transnational repression.’ McMahon maintained his innocence, claiming he was misled into believing he was working for a Chinese construction company rather than the government. A White House official, speaking anonymously, supported McMahon’s assertion, highlighting his decorated 14-year NYPD career before a 2001 injury forced his retirement. McMahon’s attorney, Lawrence Lustberg, hailed the pardon as a correction of a ‘horrible injustice,’ emphasizing that McMahon was a ‘true hero cop’ who should have been celebrated, not prosecuted. The case, part of China’s ‘Operation Fox Hunt’ initiative, centered on Xu Jin, a former Chinese city official who fled to New Jersey in 2010. Xu and his wife were accused of bribery by Chinese authorities, which they denied, alleging political persecution. McMahon’s role included locating Xu through surveillance and database searches, though he claimed he was unaware his actions would be used to intimidate Xu. The campaign against Xu included disparaging messages to his daughter’s friends, letters to relatives, and a visit from his elderly father, culminating in a threatening note left at Xu’s home. The pardon has drawn mixed reactions, with supporters like U.S. Rep. Mike Lawler praising the decision, while federal prosecutors declined to comment.