President Donald Trump said Wednesday he is considering pardons for the men convicted in the 2020 plot to kidnap Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer, raising new questions about the case’s handling and fairness. Trump, speaking to reporters in the Oval Office, described the trial as a possible “railroad job” and suggested the men may have been treated unfairly.
“I will look at it — take a look at it,” Trump said. “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, and a lot of people are asking me that question from both sides actually. A lot of people think they got railroaded.”
The kidnapping plot shook the final weeks of the 2020 election, with prosecutors alleging that anti-government extremists intended to spark a civil war by abducting Whitmer from her vacation home. Barry Croft Jr. and Adam Fox were convicted in 2022, receiving sentences of nearly 20 and 16 years, respectively. Croft, a former truck driver from Delaware, was also convicted on weapons charges.
Trump’s potential pardon consideration echoes recent comments by Ed Martin, a Trump appointee at the Justice Department, who likened Croft and Fox’s cases to the January 6 defendants. Martin called them “victims just like January 6,” where Trump has already pardoned or dropped charges against hundreds of individuals.
Trump’s remarks come as he maintains a working relationship with Whitmer despite sharp political differences. Whitmer, when asked about their collaboration, said it’s her duty as a public servant to put “service above self.” A spokesperson for Whitmer declined to comment on Trump’s latest remarks.
The Whitmer kidnapping plot has remained a flashpoint for political debate, with many conservatives questioning the government’s narrative and the FBI’s involvement in the case.
Allegations of entrapment have dogged the investigation, as reports revealed that FBI informants and undercover agents were deeply embedded in the plot’s planning and execution, raising concerns that the operation may have been more of a setup than a genuine conspiracy.
Trump’s remarks reflect a growing skepticism among many Americans who believe that the legal system is being weaponized against political dissent, particularly as it relates to right-leaning citizens and movements.
