Trump breaks silence on calls to pardon George Floyd murderer

President Donald Trump said Friday that he wasn’t aware of the effort to have him pardon Derek Chauvin, the white police officer convicted of murdering George Floyd. ‘No I haven’t even heard about it,’ Trump answered Friday in the Oval Office.

Floyd’s May 2020 death at the hands of Chauvin cued widespread protests and propelled the Black Lives Matter movement to the forefront of American politics. 

Trump, in turn, ran counter to it during his quest for reelection that year. 

During one of Trump’s most controversial moments in office, Black Lives Matter protesters were tear gassed and H Street N.W. was cleared so that the Republican president could march over to Saint John’s Church and hold up a Bible.

The historic yellow church located just steps from the White House had its basement nursery lit on fire during the demonstrations over Floyd’s death at the hands of Chauvin.

Conservative commentator Ben Shapiro has publicly called on Trump to pardon the officer for the federal crimes associated with Floyd’s death – with DOGE leader Elon Musk retweeting a Shapiro post and commenting, ‘Something to think about.’ 

Chuavin was convicted in April 2021 on the state charges of unintentional second-degree murder, third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter – and was the first white police officer convicted in the death of a black victim in Minnesota history. 

President Donald Trump said Friday that he wasn’t aware of the effort to have him pardon Derek Chauvin, the white police officer convicted of murdering George Floyd. ‘No I haven’t even heard about it,’ Trump answered via
George Floyd via

He was sentenced to 22.5 years in prison on the state charges. 

In June 2021, Chauvin was also convicted on federal charges including depriving Floyd of his civil rights. Chauvin also was convicted of depriving a 14-year-old of his civil rights in a separate case. 

He received 21 years in prison for those charges – but is serving the terms concurrently. 

If Trump decided to pardon Chauvin, the state charges and 22.5 year sentence would hold. 

Still, it would be a symbolic win against the Black Lives Matter movement. 

Trump and his MAGA movement have been more broadly against any moves toward racial equality that would put their white majority at a disadvantage. 

Since taking office in January, Trump has purged the federal government of DEI -diversity, equity and inclusion – programs, which aimed to diversify the federal workforce. 

The Trump administration has also tried to undo some of the racially sensitive measures put in place on the heels of Floyd’s death. 

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