Trump eyes pardons in 2020 Gretchen Whitmer kidnapping case

President Trump says he's considering pardons for several men convicted or charged in the 2020 plot to kidnap Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer

At a swearing in for U.S. attorney Jeanine Pirro, Trump said the case looked like a railroad job, but stopped short of promising clemency

I'm going to look at it. I will take a look at it. It's been brought to my attention

I did watch the trial. It looked to me like somewhat of a railroad job

I'll be honest with you. It looked to me like some people said some stupid things

You know, they were drinking and I think they said stupid things. But I'll take a look at that. And a lot of people are asking me that question from both sides

Actually, a lot of people think they got railroaded. The Justice Department says it's reviewing the federal convictions

Two men, Barry Croft and Adam Fox, were sentenced to more than a decade in prison

Two others pleaded guilty. Two more were acquitted. Donald Trump can only pardon those convicted on federal charges, including Croft and Fox, whose lawyers claimed FBI entrapment

But a federal appeals court rejected that argument and upheld their convictions last month

State-level cases tied to the plot fall outside Trump's pardon power. Presidential clemency only applies to federal convictions

That means any charges brought by Michigan prosecutors remain unaffected, regardless of what the White House decides

Donald Trump's comments come as speculation grows about Whitmer's future, especially talk of a 2028 run for president

It's also part of a broader clemency push. President Trump recently pardoned former GOP Congressman Michael Grimm

who served time for tax fraud. Grimm admitted to hiding more than $900,000 in income

hiring undocumented workers and lying under oath while in office. The White House says more pardons are coming

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