President Donald Trump has revealed that he’s been giving “very serious consideration” to pardoning WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange if he wins re-election in November.
Trump revealed that he was considering a pardon when asked about the issue during an interview with conservative commentator Tim Pool’s podcast Timcast IRL.
The 45th president appeared on the show before his speech at the libertarian convention on Saturday.
During the interview, Pool asked Trump if he would pardon Assange if he won a second term in the Oval Office.
Trump said the decision is under “very serious consideration.”
In his response to the question, Trump said:
“We’re going to give it very serious consideration, and we’re going to have a couple of other things to say in the speech that I think you’re going to love.”
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Last week, Assange was granted the right to challenge his extradition to the United States.
Since 2019, U.S. prosecutors have been trying to extradite Assange to be charged on U.S. soil.
The Australian journalist is currently imprisoned in the UK while he fights his case.
In the U.S., he is facing charges under the Espionage Act of 1917 for his role in publishing classified military and diplomatic cables.
He is also accused of conspiring with hackers.
Democrat President Joe Biden has also floated the idea of ending the U.S. case against Assange.
When asked about a request by Australia’s government to pursue the case against Assange, Biden said “We’re considering it.”
Trump pledged Saturday to use his clemency powers to pardon Jan. 6 prisoners as one of his first acts as president.
He also pledged to commute the life sentence of “Silk Road” website creator Ross Ulbricht during his speech.
Ulbricht is serving a federal prison sentence for creating, owning, and operating the darknet market website Silk Road from 2011 to 2013.
U.S. law enforcement has described Silk Road as “a sophisticated and extensive criminal marketplace” and “sprawling black-market bazaar” in which more than 100,000 users were able to buy illegal services.
A pledge from Trump to pardon Assange on Day One would please most of his supporters.
The move could also go some way in winning over undecided voters ahead of the November election.
The case against Assange has proved widely unpopular while many argue that he has already served his time.
To see Assange finally freed in 2025 would be a welcome and symbolic gesture.
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