Donald Trump stated that he will give “very serious consideration” to the possibility of pardoning Julian Assange, the founder of WikiLeaks.
This statement was made during an interview with podcaster Tim Pool prior to his address at the Libertarian National Convention.
“Well, I’m going to talk about that today, and we’re going to give it very serious consideration,” Trump said.
Assange is currently fighting extradition to the US, where he faces espionage charges carrying a maximum 175-year sentence for obtaining and publishing classified information on his organization, WikiLeaks.
Trump’s comments were welcomed by Assange’s brother, Gabriel Shipton, who told The Sydney Morning Herald: “I think we are reaching a critical point in the fight to free Julian.
All presidential candidates have made statements on Julian’s freedom in the past two months.”
“It’s time this scandalous prosecution is brought to an end and, with the help of the Australian government, Julian is brought home to be with his family,” he added.
Back in 2021, Trump told conservative commentator Candace Owens that he came “very close” to pardoning Assange at the end of his last administration.
“You have two sides of it: In one case, you have sort of a spy deal going on, and then another case, you have somebody that’s exposing real corruption,” he said at the time.”I won’t say which one, but I feel a little bit more strongly about one than the other….but I could have done it.”
Trump explains to Candace Owens why he started the prosecution of Assange and didn't pardon Assange/Snowden. pic.twitter.com/EknNzx4A4n
— V 🦑 (@Vedthalegend) December 22, 2021
“I will say you have people on both sides of that issue. Good people on both sides, and you have some bad people on one side. But I decided to let that one ride, let the courts work it out. And I guess the courts are actually doing that.”
During his address at the Libertarian Party convention last weekend, Trump promised to commute the life sentence of Ross Ulbricht, the founder of Silk Road, who was sentenced to life in prison without the chance of parole.
“If you vote for me, I will commute the sentence of Ross Ulbricht,” he declared. “He’s already served 11 years, we’re gonna get him home.”
ICYMI: High-Risk Bird Flu Hits Michigan in Second U.S. Case
1 Comment
Just another reason to elect Pres. Trump.