Elon Musk is facing fierce backlash after suggesting that Donald Trump consider pardoning Derek Chauvin, the former police officer who murdered George Floyd in May 2020.
Musk, a billionaire tech mogul and close ally of Trump, took to social media to share his support for Chauvin’s release, echoing far-right commentator Ben Shapiro’s controversial call to pardon the convicted killer.
“If we are issuing pardons, there is one person that President Trump should pardon,” Shapiro wrote. “President Trump should, in fact, pardon Derek Chauvin.”
Despite Chauvin’s conviction for murder and violating Floyd’s civil rights, Shapiro baselessly claimed he was wrongfully convicted. Chauvin is currently serving a 21-year federal sentence alongside a 22-and-a-half-year state sentence for the killing.
Musk responded with a simple “something to think about,” amplifying Shapiro’s rhetoric.
Legal experts quickly shot down the idea. Andy Craig, a legal analyst, explained that Trump has no authority to pardon Chauvin for his state murder conviction. A federal pardon wouldn’t change Chauvin’s time in prison—it would only move him to state custody, where he could serve out his sentence.
Brad Heath, a Reuters crime reporter, pointed out that a federal pardon wouldn’t impact Chauvin’s ongoing time in federal prison, where he’s been held since 2024.
Social media erupted in outrage, with critics slamming Musk for promoting an unjust cause. “Anyone supporting Derek Chauvin is a sociopathic racist devoid of humanity,” said journalist Jim Stewartson. “It doesn’t get more white power than Ben Shapiro and Musk defending the murderer of George Floyd.”
Others expressed shock that Trump hadn’t already issued the pardon. Brett Johnson, a former cybercriminal, mocked Musk’s comments, calling him “co-President” and reminding everyone of Chauvin’s brutal act.
“Let that racist idea sink in,” Johnson said. “Then think about a law enforcement officer kneeling on your neck for 9 minutes and 29 seconds as you slowly suffocate, crying for your mother, with other cops watching.”
Musk’s words have only fueled outrage, with many questioning how anyone, let alone a high-profile figure like him, could support pardoning a man who coldly murdered an unarmed Black man in broad daylight.
Watch Ben Shapiro’s commentary and Musk’s response below.
https://t.co/ZQ9yABoWtM pic.twitter.com/4Wo1R3hamx
— Ben Shapiro (@benshapiro) March 4, 2025
Something to think about https://t.co/KbZQEMpFXP
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) March 4, 2025
