Former President Donald Trump announced that he would seriously consider pardoning WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange if he wins the 2024 presidential election.
Former President Donald Trump has declared that he would give “very serious consideration” to pardoning WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange should he be reelected in the upcoming presidential election. Trump made this statement during an interview with podcaster Tim Pool on Saturday.
“Well, I’m going to talk about that today, and we’re going to give it very serious consideration,” Trump said in response to a question about a potential pardon for Assange. He added, “And we’re going to have a couple of other things to say in the speech that I think you’re going to love.”
The interview was recorded before Trump’s speech at the Libertarian National Convention. In his address at the event, Trump also revealed his intention to commute the sentence of Ross Ulbricht, the founder of the darknet market Silk Road, who is currently serving a life sentence.
Julian Assange, 52, is facing charges in the United States for allegedly aiding U.S. Army analyst Bradley Manning in obtaining and disseminating classified information through WikiLeaks. This included publishing a video of U.S. military drone operators shooting civilians and a Reuters journalist, and documents that revealed the identities of confidential sources.
The U.S. has charged Assange with 18 counts, primarily under the Espionage Act, accusing him of reckless actions that compromised national security and endangered lives.
President Joe Biden has stated he is considering dropping the prosecution against Assange, but no definitive action has been taken.
In a recent legal development, the High Court in London granted Assange permission to appeal his extradition to the United States on grounds related to freedom of speech and nationality. U.S. representative James Lewis, KC, assured that Assange would receive a fair trial with full due process rights, including the ability to invoke the First Amendment as a defense.
Assange’s family and supporters have expressed concerns over his deteriorating physical and mental health after over a decade of legal battles, which included seven years of asylum in the Ecuadorian Embassy in London and five years in Belmarsh, a high-security prison. If extradited, Assange could face up to 175 years in prison.
The potential pardon for Assange is part of Trump’s broader campaign platform, which includes addressing what he views as miscarriages of justice and reevaluating controversial legal cases.
