Trump Denies Considering Pardon for Derek Chauvin Amidst Conservative Push
Donald Trump has stated that he is not currently considering a pardon for Derek Chauvin, the former Minneapolis police officer convicted in the death of George Floyd. The former president also claimed he was unaware of the recent efforts by prominent conservative podcaster Ben Shapiro to secure a pardon for Chauvin, particularly on the federal charges.
"No, I haven’t even heard about it," Trump responded when asked about the possibility of a pardon for Chauvin at the behest of his allies. "I haven’t heard of that."
Trump’s statement comes as Shapiro, the founder of the Daily Wire, has launched a public campaign advocating for a pardon. Shapiro initiated an online petition calling on Trump to pardon Chauvin. In 2021, Chauvin was sentenced to 22 and a half years in prison on state charges for second- and third-degree murder. He also received a 21-year sentence on federal charges for depriving Floyd of his civil rights during the fatal encounter in May 2020. This encounter involved Chauvin kneeling on Floyd’s neck for an extended period of nine and a half minutes while Floyd was lying on a Minneapolis sidewalk.
The idea of a pardon has also garnered attention from Elon Musk, the owner of X (formerly Twitter) and a figure known for his influence in both business and political spheres. Musk briefly weighed in on the situation, stating, "Something to think about," suggesting he found the idea worthy of consideration.
The death of George Floyd on May 25, 2020, triggered a national reckoning on race and policing in the United States. Floyd, an unarmed 46-year-old Black man, died after being stopped by Chauvin, a white police officer, during a traffic stop in Minneapolis. The arrest stemmed from allegations that Floyd had used a counterfeit $20 bill.
A crucial piece of evidence in the case was video footage captured by a teenager, which showed Floyd struggling to breathe under Chauvin’s knee. This footage quickly went viral, sparking weeks of widespread Black Lives Matter protests across the country and reinvigorating the Black Lives Matter social justice movement. The protests addressed issues of police brutality, systemic racism, and racial inequality, drawing attention to the urgent need for reform in law enforcement and the criminal justice system.
Shapiro, a well-known conservative commentator, has argued that Chauvin did not receive a fair trial. He claims that the intense media coverage and public attention surrounding the case, including comments made by then-presidential candidate Joe Biden, prejudiced the jury and influenced the outcome.
On his podcast this week, Shapiro focused on Floyd’s pre-existing heart condition, suggesting that it played a significant role in his death. He argued that "the evidence demonstrates certainly (Chauvin) was not guilty beyond reasonable doubt" despite the fact that both a federal and state jury reached a verdict of guilty.
Shapiro, who attended Trump’s joint address to Congress on Tuesday as a guest of Speaker Mike Johnson, believes that "the railroading of Derek Chauvin" fueled the 2020 protests. He also contends that the case and the subsequent demonstrations led to property damage in some cities and exacerbated racial tensions in the country.
It is important to note that Chauvin is currently serving his state and federal prison sentences concurrently. Even if Trump were to grant a pardon for the federal charges, it would not alter Chauvin’s state conviction. Therefore, Chauvin would still remain incarcerated.
The issue of pardoning Chauvin has become a contentious one, highlighting the deep divisions within American society regarding race, policing, and the justice system. While supporters of a pardon argue that Chauvin’s trial was unfair and that he was wrongly convicted, opponents maintain that his actions directly led to Floyd’s death and that he should be held accountable for his crimes.
Trump’s denial of considering a pardon, at least for the present, may calm some of the immediate furor surrounding the issue. However, the underlying debate and the calls for a pardon are likely to persist, particularly within conservative circles, as long as Chauvin remains in prison. The case continues to serve as a symbol of the ongoing struggle for racial justice and police accountability in the United States.
