President Donald Trump says Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth repeatedly only wanted him to pardon soldiers who “killed a lot of people,” according to reporting that draws on Trump’s remarks. The Independent and Yahoo UK News both describe Trump’s comments as part of his discussion of Hegseth’s past views and advocacy. In the accounts, Trump presents Hegseth as having sought presidential pardons for military personnel, framing the goal in terms of the severity of harm those soldiers caused. The reporting focuses on Trump’s recollection of what he says Hegseth wanted rather than on new case details or specific individuals. It does not indicate whether any particular pardons are being pursued or announced in connection with the remarks. Overall, the sources align on the central claim: Trump says Hegseth’s prior stance was to push for pardons for soldiers associated with killings, using the phrase “a lot of people.”