Ben Shapiro has launched a controversial petition urging President Donald Trump to pardon Derek Chauvin, the former Minneapolis police officer convicted in the death of George Floyd. The conservative commentator argues that Chauvin’s trial was tainted by public pressure and lacked impartiality, making it impossible for justice to be properly served. Will Trump respond to Shapiro’s pardon request for Chauvin?
Shapiro Launches Controversial Petition
Conservative commentator Ben Shapiro has initiated a petition calling on President Donald Trump to pardon Derek Chauvin, the ex-Minneapolis police officer serving concurrent sentences for the murder of George Floyd. Shapiro’s petition specifically targets Chauvin’s 21-year federal sentence for civil rights violations, acknowledging that a presidential pardon would not affect his 22.5-year state sentence for second-degree murder.
In the petition, Shapiro argues that Chauvin was “unjustly convicted” in a trial that was heavily influenced by external pressures. “Under these circumstances, there was no opportunity for blind justice to work, and a man is now rotting in prison because of it,” Shapiro stated in his appeal to Trump.
The Derek Chauvin conviction represents the defining achievement of the Woke movement in American politics. The country cannot turn the page on that dark, divisive, and racist era without righting this terrible wrong. Pardon Derek!pic.twitter.com/iujd6AwuKx
— The Ben Shapiro Show (@BenShapiroShow) March 4, 2025
Political and Social Implications
The petition frames Chauvin’s conviction as “the defining achievement of the Woke movement in American politics.” Shapiro suggests that pardoning Chauvin would be necessary for the country to “turn the page on that dark, divisive, and racist era” by “righting this terrible wrong.”
Floyd’s death in 2020 sparked nationwide protests and significantly fueled the Black Lives Matter movement, making any discussion about pardoning Chauvin politically charged. The petition represents a direct challenge to mainstream narratives surrounding Floyd’s death and the subsequent conviction of Chauvin.
CNN panelist claims that Ben Shapiro wants Derek Chauvin pardoned in order for President Trump to become a dictator:
“…I know that sounds cuckoo for Cocoa Puffs.”
Yes. Yes it does. pic.twitter.com/N8UQXMPHMP
— Daily Wire (@realDailyWire) March 6, 2025
Reactions and Potential Impact
Elon Musk, who serves as a senior adviser to Trump, has highlighted Shapiro’s petition on social media, potentially giving it greater visibility within Trump’s circle. The Hill reports that they have contacted the Trump administration for a response to Shapiro’s petition, though no official statement has been released.
The petition comes amid broader conservative critiques of what Shapiro describes as the “weaponization of the American justice system.” This move aligns with Trump’s previous statements about law and order while potentially appealing to a conservative base that views Chauvin’s conviction as influenced more by political pressure than evidence.
Chauvin currently remains incarcerated, serving both his federal and state sentences concurrently. The former officer was convicted of second-degree murder in state court and later pleaded guilty to federal civil rights charges related to Floyd’s death.
Legal experts note that while a presidential pardon could free Chauvin from his federal sentence, he would still need to serve his state sentence unless granted clemency by Minnesota’s governor. This dual conviction complicates any potential pardon effort and would limit its practical impact on Chauvin’s incarceration.