PRESIDENT Donald Trump has pardoned a former police officer who was sentenced for helping the Chinese government spy on a family.

Michael McMahon allegedly helped try to coerce Chinese natives living in New Jersey into returning to their home country to face corruption charges.

He was sentenced in April to 18 months behind bars after being convicted of acting as an unregistered agent of the Chinese government, among other charges, in 2023.

Prosecutors argued that McMahon played a part in Operation Fox Hunt, which is a scheme where Chinese officials repatriate fugitives.

State attorneys claim this is a way that the Communist Party can control Chinese people around the globe, the New York Times reported.

Meanwhile, McMahon’s attorney claimed that he was merely a pawn tricked into participating in the plot while working as a private investigator.

They said the former cop was fully honest with investigators, but was made an example of by politically motivated federal prosecutors.

McMahon has been a public supporter of Trump and was present at his inauguration in January as he awaited sentencing.

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