Obama in 2011: Manning ‘broke the law’

President Obama on Tuesday cut short the prison sentence of Chelsea Manning, but in 2011, he was singing a different tune about the then-alleged WikiLeaks source. 

Under questioning from a group of supporters during a San Francisco fundraiser that year, Obama was firm in his belief that Manning “broke the law” and deserved punishment. 

“We’re a nation of laws,” Obama said at the time, according to Forbes. “We don’t individually make our own decisions about how the laws operate … He broke the law.”

{mosads}

Manning is a transgendered woman and at the time was known as Bradley. 

The former Army private was convicted in 2013 of violating the Espionage Act for leaking sensitive, classified military and diplomatic documents to WikiLeaks. 

She received a 35-year sentence, the longest ever handed down by the U.S. for a leak conviction. 

Manning expressed remorse for her actions at her court martial and has struggled with mental health issues while in custody for nearly seven years, twice attempting suicide. 

A senior administration official said Tuesday “the president continues to believe [Manning’s] actions were criminal and not good for the country,” but noted she “accepted responsibility for the crimes she committed.”

“Chelsea Manning has spent more than six years behind bars,” the official said. “[That is] sufficient punishment for the serious crimes she committed.”