Elon Musk, the billionaire entrepreneur and owner of X (formerly Twitter), has stirred controversy by suggesting that former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin should be pardoned.
Chauvin, convicted for the 2020 murder of George Floyd, is serving both state and federal prison sentences.
Musk made his remarks on X while sharing a post from conservative commentator Ben Shapiro. In his post, Shapiro argued that Chauvin was unfairly convicted and should be granted a pardon if former President Donald Trump were to return to office.
“If we are issuing pardons, however, there is one person that President Trump should pardon from federal charges forthwith,” Shapiro stated. “President Trump should, in fact, pardon Derek Chauvin.”
Shapiro claimed that Chauvin was “railroaded” in the trial, asserting that his conviction was politically motivated rather than based on solid legal grounds. He further blamed the protests following Floyd’s death for billions in property damage and worsening racial tensions in the U.S.
Musk, in response to Shapiro’s post, simply stated, “Something to think about,” implying his support for reconsidering Chauvin’s conviction.
Watch the video below.
Something to think about https://t.co/KbZQEMpFXP
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) March 4, 2025
Musk’s comment has sparked widespread backlash, with critics accusing him of promoting dangerous narratives. Civil rights advocates argue that Chauvin’s conviction was justified and that any attempt to pardon him would undermine accountability in law enforcement.
Others, however, agree with Musk and Shapiro, claiming that the trial was unfair due to intense public and political pressure. Some conservatives believe Chauvin was sacrificed to appease widespread outrage rather than receiving an impartial legal process.
Recall that, Chauvin was found guilty of second-degree unintentional murder, third-degree murder, and second-degree manslaughter for kneeling on Floyd’s neck for over nine minutes in May 2020. The incident, captured on video, ignited global protests under the Black Lives Matter (BLM) movement.
While Trump has not directly commented on Chauvin’s case recently, he has previously expressed skepticism about the fairness of the trial. If re-elected, some speculate that he could consider pardoning Chauvin as part of his broader political agenda.
