Trump grants pardon to Trevor Milton, convicted nikola founder

President Donald Trump has issued a presidential pardon to Trevor Milton, the former Nikola Motors executive who was convicted of fraud in 2022, the New York Post reported. 

The decision has stirred debate due to the allegations surrounding Milton and his previous endorsement of Trump.

The pardon has been confirmed by Milton through a post on social media and by three officials from the White House.

Milton, who is 42 years old, had been sentenced to four years behind bars in December 2023, although he remained out of prison pending his appeal efforts. Charges against him were based on the claim of fraudulent advertising of Nikola's non-operational vehicles as well as accusations of improper conduct toward two women. These contentious aspects have only heightened the reaction to the pardon.

Milton’s Conviction And Legal Struggles

Milton's trajectory in the corporate world took a downturn after an indictment in July 2021 by a grand jury in Manhattan. The indictment brought allegations of deceitful promotion methods, including marketing videos featuring vehicles that were non-functional. Despite Milton's ambitions to rival Elon Musk's Tesla in the realm of innovative energy vehicles, prosecution resulted in a fraud conviction for Milton on three counts.

In 2020, Trevor Milton was a prominent billionaire with an estimated net valuation of $12 billion. That same year, Nikola embarked on a promising but short-lived partnership with automotive giant General Motors. This collaboration seemed poised to bolster Nikola's market standing but was ultimately overshadowed by legal controversies surrounding Milton.

Controversy And Criticism Amidst Pardon Decision

President Trump, 78, justified the pardon by citing endorsements from unnamed elite advisors, despite claiming a lack of personal familiarity with Milton. Trump highlighted that Milton was an early backer of his presidential campaign, especially emphasizing Milton's support originating from Utah. "They say it was very unfair," Trump remarked, referring to the perceived mistreatment of Milton and his family.

A recurring theme in Trump's discourse is a narrative of persecution against figures who have shown allegiance to him, including businessmen like Milton. "They supported Trump, and they went after them," the president noted, carving a pattern of what he considers undue legal scrutiny on his allies. Trump's stance is clear: he opposes what he sees as an unfair targeting of Milton by previous administrations.

The Tech Rivalry And Legal Fallout

Milton's position in the competitive electric and hydrogen vehicle sector was also colored by industry opinions, notably from Tesla's CEO, Elon Musk. Musk has frequently condemned Nikola's technological propositions, describing them as "staggeringly dumb" and decrying hydrogen fuel cells as a misguided technology. Critics of Milton suggest that such harsh technical assessments foreshadowed the company's legal battles.

Through the lens of Nikola's turbulent history, Musk's criticisms could be viewed as prescient warnings about the legitimacy of Nikola's technological claims. Despite once aspiring to contend with Tesla's electric vehicle dominance, these dynamics paralleled Milton's legal and public relations troubles.

Reflections On Presidential Clemency

Trump's pardon of Milton invokes broader discussions about presidential clemency, particularly regarding its application to business figures entangled in legal woes. Sympathizing with executives under legal scrutiny appears consistent with Trump's track record, casting his recent pardon in a familiar light.

While supporters of the decision argue that Milton's conviction may have resulted from a disproportionate prosecutorial zeal, critics highlight the serious nature of the allegations he faced. Allegations of exaggerated product capabilities coupled with serious misconduct charges fostered a contentious narrative around Milton's leadership.

Despite varying interpretations of Trump's motivations and the underlying legal complexities, the Milton pardon sharpens the focus on the interplay between business interests and political influences. Trump's expression of concern for Milton's "persecuted" state underscores tensions at the intersection of corporate responsibility and political alliances.