In a surprising turn of events, former President Donald Trump has granted a full and unconditional pardon to Trevor Milton, the former CEO of Nikola—a hydrogen and electric truck company that collapsed after a high-profile fraud scandal. The pardon, announced Thursday evening, has reignited conversations about corporate fraud, political influence, and the justice system’s treatment of high-profile individuals.
The Case Against Trevor Milton
Back in October 2022, a New York jury convicted Milton on multiple federal charges, including securities fraud and wire fraud. Prosecutors from the U.S. Attorney’s Office in the Southern District of New York accused him of deceiving investors with false and misleading statements about nearly every aspect of Nikola’s business. His grand vision of revolutionizing the electric and hydrogen-powered trucking industry turned out to be riddled with deception. Social media posts, podcast interviews, and company presentations painted a picture of a company that, according to prosecutors, never lived up to its promises.
Milton’s actions led to significant financial losses for shareholders, many of whom believed they were investing in groundbreaking technology. The fallout was massive—his fraudulent claims sent Nikola’s stock soaring, only for it to crash when the truth came to light. Despite these accusations, Milton maintained his innocence and fought the case in court, but he was ultimately sentenced in 2023 to four years in prison. However, he had remained free on bail as he pursued an appeal.
Trump’s Justification for the Pardon
Milton’s pardon came as a shock to many, but Trump framed it as a matter of political persecution. On Friday, he addressed the decision, suggesting that Milton’s conviction was less about fraud and more about his early and vocal support for Trump’s presidential campaign.
“They say the thing that he did wrong was he was one of the first people that supported a gentleman named Donald Trump for president. He supported Trump. He liked Trump. I didn’t know him, but he liked him,” Trump stated during an unrelated event.
Trump further implied that Milton’s case was deliberately moved from Utah—where Nikola was founded—to New York, in an effort to secure a harsher outcome. “There are many people like that,” Trump added. “They support Trump, and they went after him.”
Milton’s Reaction
Shortly after the news broke, Milton took to X (formerly Twitter) to express his gratitude, saying he had received a phone call from Trump personally notifying him of the pardon. His post reflected a broader message, positioning himself as a victim of government overreach.
“This pardon is not just about me—it’s about every American who has been railroaded by the government, and unfortunately, that’s a lot of people,” he wrote.
For Milton, this pardon is not just a get-out-of-jail-free card—it also means he won’t have to pay the court-ordered restitution to Nikola’s shareholders. While some of his supporters celebrated, critics were quick to point out that this decision effectively erases consequences for a man convicted of defrauding investors.
Another Controversial Commutation: Carlos Watson
Milton wasn’t the only businessman to receive clemency from Trump that day. In another unexpected move, Trump commuted the sentence of Carlos Watson, the founder of Ozy Media. Watson had been just hours away from surrendering to authorities when the commutation was announced.
Watson’s case had drawn significant attention due to its high-profile nature. Convicted in the summer of 2023, Watson was found guilty of defrauding investors and fabricating financial statements about his media company. The once-promising startup collapsed in 2021 after reports emerged that a top executive had impersonated a YouTube representative during a crucial call with Goldman Sachs bankers. This deception was part of a broader effort to convince investors that Ozy had lucrative deals with major companies like Google and even Oprah Winfrey.
As a result, Watson was sentenced in December 2023 to nearly a decade in prison. His commutation means he will now avoid serving most of that time, a decision that has sparked debate about fairness in the justice system.
Public and Political Reactions
These latest acts of clemency have set off a firestorm of reactions from legal experts, investors, and political figures alike. Supporters of Trump view these pardons as necessary corrections to what they see as an overreaching justice system that unfairly targets conservatives and successful entrepreneurs.
Critics, on the other hand, argue that these decisions send a dangerous message—that financial fraud, if connected to the right political circles, can be forgiven. “This is an insult to every investor who lost money because of these men’s actions,” said one legal analyst. “It undermines trust in our financial markets and in the rule of law.”
Meanwhile, the White House has chosen not to comment on the matter, leaving the debate to rage on in the media and public forums.
What’s Next?
With the pardons granted, Milton and Watson are now free from their legal troubles—at least for the time being. However, their reputations remain severely damaged. While Milton may attempt a comeback in the business world, investors and industry leaders will likely be wary of placing their trust in him again. Similarly, Watson’s credibility in the media industry is in tatters.
One thing is clear—Trump’s latest pardons are yet another example of how political influence can shape the course of justice in America. Whether these decisions will have long-term implications remains to be seen, but for now, the conversations about corporate fraud, accountability, and political favoritism are far from over.
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