Trump Considers Pardons for Whitmer Kidnapping Plotters, Drawing Sharp Criticism from Governor

President Donald Trump has announced he is considering pardoning Barry Croft Jr. and Adam Fox, the two men convicted in the 2020 plot to kidnap Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer. Trump described their prosecution as potentially a “railroad job,” suggesting the trial may have been unfair. Croft and Fox, affiliated with the paramilitary group Wolverine Watchmen, were sentenced in 2022 to over 19 and 16 years respectively for kidnapping conspiracy and conspiracy to use a weapon of mass destruction. They were among 14 charged for planning to abduct Whitmer from her vacation home due to grievances over COVID-19 restrictions and gun rights.

Governor Whitmer has expressed strong opposition to the potential pardons, stating that Trump would be breaking a prior promise not to pardon the men. In an interview, she emphasized the importance of condemning political violence regardless of political affiliation, referencing her own prompt condemnation of the assassination attempt on Trump in 2024.

The case has sparked controversy, with critics arguing that pardoning the plotters could undermine the rule of law and embolden extremist groups. Supporters of the pardon suggest that the men were victims of government overreach. The Justice Department’s new pardon attorney, Ed Martin Jr., is reviewing the case as part of a broader examination of politically charged convictions.

As the debate continues, the potential pardons remain a contentious issue, highlighting the deep political divisions in the country.