Trump pardons Navy man who took illegal submarine photos

WASHINGTON: The White House says President Donald Trump has pardoned a Navy sailor who took photos of classified areas inside a submarine and served a year in federal prison.

White House spokeswoman Sarah Huckabee Sanders says Kristian Saucier was pardoned by Trump and said the president was "appreciative" of his service to the country.

Sanders says Saucier had been recognised by service members "for his dedication, skill and patriotic spirit."

The sailor pleaded guilty in 2016 to unauthorised detention of defence information for taking photos inside the USS Alexandria while it was stationed in Groton, Connecticut, in 2009.

Saucier argued that his prosecution was driven by sensitivity about classified information amid the scandal involving Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton's emails.