President Obama Defends Decision to Release Chelsea Manning

President Obama used his final press conference to defend his commutation of Chelsea Manning.

FOX’s Jon Decker reports from the White House:

President Obama defended his decision to release Army Private Chelsea Manning from prison early, arguing the commutation of Manning balanced national security interests with Manning’s remorse and her long sentence:

(President Obama) “I felt that in light of all the circumstances, that commuting her sentence was entirely appropriate.”

Manning was convicted in 2013 of passing classified material to WikiLeaks.

The decision to free the Army private, less than seven years into her 35-year sentence, was opposed by Defense Secretary Ash Carter.

At the White House, Jon Decker, FOX News.