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Trump Signals Review of Pardons for Whitmer Kidnapping Convicts

By calling the 2022 convictions a 'railroad job,' he has instigated a Justice Department pardon review.

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President Donald Trump listens as Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer speaks during a visit with Michigan Air National Guard Troops on April 29, 2025 at Selfridge Air National Guard Base, Michigan. Trump will travel to Macomb Community College in Warren, Michigan to hold a rally where he is expected to highlight his accomplishments during his first 100 days in office, including closing the border, job creation and the economy.

Overview

  • President Trump announced on May 28 that he will examine pardons for individuals convicted in the 2020 plot to kidnap Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer.
  • He characterized the federal trials that led to convictions in 2022 as a “railroad job,” noting defendants made self-incriminating remarks while drinking.
  • Adam Fox and Barry Croft Jr. received sentences of 16 and 19 years respectively, while three co-defendants tried in 2023 were acquitted on all counts.
  • The Wolverine Watchmen militia group plotted to seize Whitmer from her vacation home during the COVID-19 pandemic in protest of state restrictions.
  • Justice Department pardon attorney Ed Martin has called for a “hard look” at the case, underscoring Trump’s broader use of clemency for high-profile prosecutions.