Trump Dismisses Possibility of Pardoning Derek Chauvin

President Trump told reporters in the Oval Office Friday that he would not consider pardoning former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin, who was convicted for the murder of George Floyd.

One reporter noted to Trump, "Your allies are calling on you to pardon Derek Chauvin."

He responded, "No, I haven't heard about it. .. No. I haven't heard that."

This week, The Daily Wire's Ben Shapiro initiated a petition, calling on Trump to pardon Chauvin, who has been sentenced to 22 1/2 years for unintentional murder, third-degree murder and manslaughter.

Floyd's death led to a month-long national unrest in 2020, resulting in $2 billion in property damages and at least 25 deaths. The riots during the first Trump administration were largely decentralized under Black Lives Matter's united purpose and action.

The initial fire to the flames was through the quickly circulated 10-minute video depicting Floyd's, granting racial upheaval that was not limited to just the states. Later, the full video would be released.

Floyd's "I can't breathe" moment within his struggle to resist arrest became almost iconic to the rise of BLM, which has since dealt with subsequent issues regarding mismanagement of finances.

President Trump has been generally criticized by conservatives for his lack of action during the rioting, possibly motivated by his reelection campaign in 2020. A pardon for Chauvin could be a remedy, but that now appears out of reach.