As close advisors to the president made attempts to discourage him from issuing more pardons, this morning President Trump surprisingly did the exact opposite of what was advised and issued a new one. During an impromptu White House press conference Trump stated, “Edward Teach was a patriot, Edward Teach loved our country, and Edward Teach protected our coastline.” He continued by stating, “And Teach was treated very unfairly by the Royal Navy, especially while appealing for a pardon to North Carolina’s colonial leaders, and would’ve won. So I stand by my pardon of Edward Teach.”

Edward Teach, more commonly known as Blackbeard the Pirate, met his demise during The Battle at Ocracoke in November of 1718. “I think the people of North Carolina who knew him best would’ve agreed with me,” Trump said as the press conference came to an abrupt end.

Former GOP Senator Jeff Flake tweeted he would have preferred Trump “honor the judicial process that took its course,” in the months before the Royal Navy ended Blackbeard’s career in piracy. Blackbeard’s legend has become a very popular topic of discussion for Ocracoke Island residents and visitors, and his mystique and stories of his headless ghost wandering the woods and shoreline of what is now Springer’s Point – near where the battle occurred – have compelled ghost hunters and history buffs alike to explore the area.

The pirate suffered 25 wounds before ultimately being decapitated by a sailor under the command of RN Lieutenant Robert Maynard.