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Trump Grants Pardon to Former Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich
In a significant move, President Donald Trump has issued an executive order pardoning Rod Blagojevich, the former governor of Illinois. Blagojevich, who was sentenced to 14 years in prison for corruption, had his sentence commuted by Trump in 2020.
During a recent address from the Oval Office, Trump expressed his honor in granting the pardon, declaring, “He was set up.” This statement highlights Trump’s narrative of Blagojevich’s imprisonment as unjust.
Trump characterized Blagojevich as a “very fine person,” noting that their interaction was limited to his appearance on the reality show “Celebrity Apprentice.”
When questioned about the possibility of appointing Blagojevich as U.S. ambassador to Serbia, Trump humorously dismissed the idea but remarked that a pardon would make Blagojevich “cleaner than anybody in the room.”
In response to the pardon, Blagojevich expressed deep gratitude towards Trump during a press conference, stating, “Let me tell you — from the bottom of my heart — how deep my appreciation and gratitude is for President Trump.”
In recent months, Blagojevich has been vocal on social media, particularly on X, where he has shown support for Trump, sharing content from notable Trump allies such as Elon Musk and Kash Patel. He recently suggested that Trump had achieved more in his brief time as President than former President Barack Obama did in the entirety of his two terms.
After President Biden’s preemptive pardons, Blagojevich expressed his view that such decisions were misguided. He criticized Biden for the prosecution of Trump, suggesting it demonstrated an unfair approach to justice.
Previously convicted on 17 charges of corruption in 2011, Blagojevich gained notoriety for attempting to sell Barack Obama’s vacated Senate seat. Trump has long voiced that the sentence imposed on Blagojevich was excessively harsh.
As a Democrat who labels himself as a “Trump-o-crat,” Blagojevich’s embrace of Trump contrasts sharply with traditional party lines, showcasing the complex nature of political affiliations.
Following Trump’s commutation of his sentence in 2020, Blagojevich was released earlier than expected, expressing gratitude for what he believed was a correction of a previous injustice.
MORE: Blagojevich thanks Trump for his ‘kindness’ in commuting prison sentence
In an unexpected twist, Blagojevich, who gained notoriety during his time on “Celebrity Apprentice,” recalls being “fired” by Trump, which adds another layer to their complicated relationship.
Trump pardons former Democratic Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich originally appeared on abcnews.go.com
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