The leaves are solar energy collectors to make food for the plant. Why would you want to remove them. They are in vegetative growth, too early to be worried about bud sites.
If you are having issues with airflow then removing some is ok as a preventative measure if mold or mildew is a problem.
everyone has their own preference, unless there is infection, airflow issues, I say leave them. In all reality snipping a few leaves here and there won’t really do anything to a perfectly healthy plant. So, I wouldn’t even worry about it. Experiment and learn what works for you
next time if you have a few going, try it with one, And don’t do it on another and see for yourself.
hard to see from the pic, but possibly some insect damage from some sort of piercing/sucking insect on the first pic. Give it a thorough inspection to see what’s going on there