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By Dan Gooding and Gabe Whisnant
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President Donald Trump, while talking to reporters on Wednesday, said he would "take a look" at pardons for the individuals found guilty of plotting to kidnap Democratic Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer.
In 2022, two men were found guilty of orchestrating a plot to incite anti-government extremists and kidnap Whitmer shortly before the 2020 presidential election.
When asked, "Will you pardon the people who are accused of conspiring to kidnap Gretchen Whitmer?"
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The president responded, "I will take a look at it. It's been brought to my attention. I did watch the trial. It looked to me like somewhat of a railroad job, I will be honest to you. It looked to me like some people said some stupid things. They were drinking and I think they said stupid things, but I'll take a look at that."
"At a lot of people are asking me that question, from both sides, actually. A lot of people think they got railroaded."
Newsweek reached out to Whitmer's office for comment via email Wednesday afternoon.
Why It Matters
Trump has issued a flurry of pardons since taking office, claiming that some had been victims of a weaponized justice system. A number of the pardons have drawn criticism.
The president pardoned a swathe of people convicted over the January 6, 2021, riot at the U.S. Capitol Building, which drew rebuke from some Republican Senators.
He also pardoned 23 anti-abortion activists, and former Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich, who was convicted in 2011 on multiple corruption charges.
On Tuesday, Trump announced he would pardon reality TV stars Todd and Julie Chrisley, who were convicted in 2022 of several counts of fraud and tax evasion.
While supporters of the president call a number of these pardons needed to correct unjustified sentences, a number of critics say they reflect Trump using the White House to amplify his narrative of persecution and to cast doubt on the legitimacy of the justice system.
What To Know
Nine men were convicted in the plot to kidnap Whitmer. They had planned to take the governor from her vacation home in the run-up to the 2020 presidential election.
Whitmer, a Democrat, placed some of the blame for the plot on Trump, who she said had failed to condemn white supremacist and hate groups like the one which had targeted her.
Following Trump's return to the White House in January, Whitmer was seen in the Oval Office during a briefing by the president. She later said she was not endorsing Trump's actions by being there.
Whitmer also spoke from the stage while standing next to Trump while he visited Michigan in April.
Speaking on Wednesday, Trump said he thought the convicted men had perhaps been drinking and "said stupid things" when they plotted to kidnap Whitmer.
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Originally, 14 men were charged over the plot, with nine later convicted, including ringleader Barry Croft Jr., who received a 19-year sentence. The last three men who stood trial over the incident were found not guilty on all counts in 2023.
What People Are Saying
Democratic Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel told The Detroit News: "When you take somebody who is clearly guilty of an offense, who shows no remorse of any kind, who does not demonstrate that they have been rehabilitated and, for political reasons, to either commute their sentence or to pardon them is the type of thing that really impacts of the morale of any prosecutor's office."
The U.S. Justice Department's new pardon attorney, Ed Martin Jr., speaking about the case on The Breanna Morello Show May 22: "On the pardon front, we can't leave these guys behind. In my opinion these are victims just like January 6."
What's Next
Trump said he is considering the pardons, but no move has yet been formalized. Whitmer's office has no commented.
Updated 5/28/25 at 2:58 p.m.: This report has been updated with additional information.
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