Trump Weighs Pardons for Men Convicted in Michigan Governor Kidnap Plot

President Donald Trump has indicated he will review the possibility of pardoning two men convicted in 2022 for their roles in a conspiracy to kidnap Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer, describing their prosecution as potentially unjust and a "railroad job." Trump suggested the men involved were intoxicated and made foolish remarks, questioning the legitimacy of their convictions in the context of the politically charged 2020 election period. The convictions stem from a high-profile case involving militia members who plotted to abduct Whitmer from her vacation home, an act prosecutors said was meant to incite civil war. Whitmer and her office have not publicly responded to Trump’s recent statements, but she has previously criticized Trump’s rhetoric for emboldening extremist groups linked to the plot. This development comes amid a somewhat cordial working relationship between Trump and Whitmer despite deep policy differences. Trump’s former administration officials have also drawn parallels between these cases and the January 6 Capitol attack pardons granted by Trump.