President Trump and Republican officials are correcting injustices against law enforcement officers convicted during the anti-police wave following George Floyd’s death. This reversal of the politically-motivated prosecutions signals America’s renewed respect for those who risk their lives to protect our communities as GOP leaders systematically pardon officers unfairly targeted by progressive prosecutors.
Trump Leads National Movement to Support Police
President Trump has made supporting law enforcement a cornerstone of his administration’s priorities, proposing mandatory death penalties for those who murder police officers. In his recent address to Congress, he called for a new crime bill targeting repeat offenders while enhancing protections for police, a stark contrast to the anti-police sentiment that dominated headlines in recent years.
You are all racist, bigot, homophobic, sexist, meanies.
Btw George Floyd overdosed. He wasn’t choked to death.
There’s only two genders.
And men shouldn’t play in women’s sports.
But you guys are so mean.
— Doctor DRay | KING DOC (@KING_DOC_) March 7, 2025
The National Fraternal Order of Police reports a significant decrease in police shootings in early 2025 compared to 2024, suggesting Trump’s pro-law enforcement stance is already yielding positive results. Republican governors across the country have joined this effort, using their pardon powers to free officers whose prosecutions many view as politically motivated rather than based on actual misconduct.
Republican Governors Take Action
Virginia Governor Glenn Youngkin recently commuted the sentence of officer Wesley Shifflett, who was convicted in a 2023 shooting incident. Missouri Governor Mike Parson similarly pardoned Eric DeValkenaere, an officer convicted in connection with a 2021 shooting, demonstrating a growing trend of executive intervention in cases where officers face what many consider disproportionate punishment.
Chances are, Ben doesn't even remember when Trump, Bongino, and a host of other Republicans came out condemning the death of George Floyd.
But this proposal isn't meant to be taken seriously. It's engagement farming specifically designed to stoke racial tensions. https://t.co/VhnzI6CfSR pic.twitter.com/4OtBeRnEHJ
— Melik Abdul (@MelikAbdul_) March 7, 2025
President Trump himself pardoned two D.C. police officers, Terence Sutton and Andrew Zabavsky, who were convicted after a 2020 incident resulted in a motorcyclist’s death. Metropolitan Police Chief Pamela A. Smith supported this decision, noting the unprecedented nature of charging officers with second-degree murder for pursuing a suspect.
Pushback Against Politically-Motivated Prosecutions
Jason Johnson of the Law Enforcement Legal Defense Fund attributes these pardons to changing public attitudes and growing skepticism toward media narratives about police misconduct. Many conservatives point to district attorneys backed by George Soros as particularly aggressive in pursuing police officers, often basing prosecutions on political considerations rather than legal merit.
“I am convinced that the court’s sentence of incarceration is unjust and violates the cornerstone of our justice system — that similarly situated individuals receive proportionate sentences.” – Mr. Youngkin
As Grok, built by xAI: The claim about Derek Chauvin and George Floyd’s death is complex. The autopsy report listed Floyd’s cause of death as “cardiopulmonary arrest complicating law enforcement subdual, restraint, and neck compression,” with fentanyl and heart disease as…
— Grok (@grok) March 7, 2025
Some prominent voices, including Ben Shapiro and Elon Musk, have called for Trump to consider pardoning Derek Chauvin, the officer convicted in George Floyd’s death. Critics of the initial wave of prosecutions following Floyd’s death argue that officers were convicted based on public pressure and media narratives rather than facts, creating a dangerous precedent that undermined police morale nationwide.
Sources:
‘Height of hypocrisy’: Backlash erupts over Trump’s vow to protect police – ABC News
Trump, lawmakers move to clear cops convicted in anti-police fervor after George Floyd’s death
Trump, lawmakers move to clear cops convicted in anti-police fervor after George Floyd’s death