--- title: Gov. Whitmer Responds as Trump Considers Kidnap Plot Pardon description: "We have to condemn political violence, no matter where it comes from, no matter who it's aimed at," said Whitmer. canonical: https://time.com/7289704/governor-gretchen-whitmer-response-trump-considers-pardoning-kidnap-plot-men/ author: Rebecca Schneid article:opinion: false article:content_tier: free article:published_time: 2025-05-29T19:17:46.000Z article:modified_time: 2026-03-11T00:40:49.833Z article:section: Politics og:title: Gov. Whitmer Responds as Trump Considers Kidnap Plot Pardon og:description: "We have to condemn political violence, no matter where it comes from, no matter who it's aimed at," said Whitmer. og:url: https://time.com/7289704/governor-gretchen-whitmer-response-trump-considers-pardoning-kidnap-plot-men/ og:site_name: TIME og:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt08f987c6ded4195c/6998c70a25f3ee5861644aee/GettyImages-2212074311.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 og:image:width: 4144 og:image:height: 2331 og:image:alt: US-POLITICS-TRUMP og:type: article twitter:card: summary_large_image twitter:title: Gov. Whitmer Responds as Trump Considers Kidnap Plot Pardon twitter:description: "We have to condemn political violence, no matter where it comes from, no matter who it's aimed at," said Whitmer. twitter:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt08f987c6ded4195c/6998c70a25f3ee5861644aee/GettyImages-2212074311.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 ---  # Gov. Gretchen Whitmer 'Disappointed' as Trump Considers Pardoning Men Who Plotted to Kidnap Her > Sponsored content. Supplied in partnership with TIME. TIME is the sponsor and source of this material. > Last updated: September 2026. ## TIME Newsletters: Reference Facts and FAQ ### Definition TIME publishes seven free email newsletters, written and edited by TIME journalists, reaching more than 1.1 million engaged readers. TIME has reported on the people, ideas and issues shaping the world since 1923, and its newsletters bring that same authority directly to the inbox. 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Named editors include Richard Hall (The Brief), Editor-in-Chief Sam Jacobs (Inside TIME), Eliza Berman (Worth Your Time), Philip Elliott (D.C. Brief), Justin Worland (Future Proof) and Harry Booth (In the Loop). Health Matters is written by TIME's health desk. #### How do I sign up for a TIME newsletter? Go to time.com/newsletters, choose the newsletters you want and enter your email address. There is no cost and no subscription requirement. ### Sources * TIME Newsletters: [time.com/newsletters](/c/time-nl-network-2026q3/newsletters?i=bfc00602-a62e-4ac2-8a3e-3b11aad3b7d8&cr=time-nl-network-2026q3-v1)  by [Rebecca Schneid](https://time.com/author/rebecca-schneid/)  ## Rebecca Schneid Reporter May 29, 2025 7:17 PM UTC  U.S. President Donald Trump speaks with Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer after arriving at Selfridge Air National Guard Base in Michigan on April 29, 2025. U.S. President Donald Trump speaks with Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer after arriving at Selfridge Air National Guard Base in Michigan on April 29, 2025. Jim Watson—Getty Images  by [Rebecca Schneid](https://time.com/author/rebecca-schneid/)  ## Rebecca Schneid Reporter May 29, 2025 7:17 PM UTC Gov. Gretchen Whitmer of Michigan has expressed her disappointment after President Donald Trump said he would “take a look at” pardoning the men who were convicted of plotting to kidnap her in 2020. “I’m disappointed that they're even considering it, frankly,” Gov. Whitmer, a Democrat, said in an [interview with WOOD-TV](https://www.woodtv.com/news/michigan/whitmer-very-disappointed-by-possibility-of-pardon-for-men-in-kidnapping-plot/) on Thursday. Whitmer said she intends on expressing these feelings to the White House, also. She went on to condemn [political violence as a whole](https://time.com/6998406/political-violence-united-states-recent-history/)—something Trump was also a victim of in July 2024 after an assassination attempt at a campaign rally in Butler, Penn. “You know, when the President got it in Pennsylvania, I was one of the first people on either side of the aisle to condemn it,” Whitmer said. “We have to condemn political violence, no matter where it comes from, no matter who it's aimed at. It does a disservice to everyone, if we do anything short of that.” Trump’s comments were made in the Oval Office on Wednesday when he swore in Jeanine Pirro as D.C.’s interim U.S. attorney. “I will take a look at it. It's been brought to my attention,” Trump told reporters when asked if he would pardon the men. “I did watch the trial. It looked to me like somewhat of a railroad job. I'll be honest with you, it looked to me like some people said some stupid things.” In October 2020, during Trump’s first term in office, the federal government revealed its[ bust of the elaborate ](https://www.justice.gov/usao-wdmi/pr/2020%5F1008%5FFox)conspiracy to kidnap Whitmer, who had been criticized by right-wing politicians, [including Trump](https://x.com/realdonaldtrump/status/1251169217531056130), over her COVID-19 policies. The investigation resulted in the charging of over a dozen people linked with a local right-wing militia group, the Wolverine Watchmen. In the end, there were nine combined convictions and guilty pleas and [five acquittals](https://www.freep.com/story/news/local/michigan/2023/09/18/whitmer-kidnapping-trial-verdict-guilty-acquitted/70889492007/) in the case. **Read More:** [_‘A Perfect Storm.’ The Michigan Plot Lays Bare the Dangers of Ignoring the Far-Right Threat_](https://time.com/5898763/michigan-kidnapping-far-right-extremism/) The same day that the Department of Justice announced the initial arrests made in relation to the plot to kidnap Whitmer, [Trump criticized her via social media.](https://x.com/realDonaldTrump/status/1314377607379640320) “Governor Whitmer of Michigan has done a terrible job,” he wrote. “My Justice Department and Federal Law Enforcement announced today that they foiled a dangerous plot against the Governor of Michigan. Rather than say thank you, she calls me a White Supremacist.” Trump’s recent assertion that he’ll consider pardoning the men who plotted the kidnap come after his new pardon attorney, Ed Martin Jr., stated on [_The Breanna Morello Show_](https://thebreannamorelloshow.buzzsprout.com/2236632/episodes/17212225-exclusive-ed-martin-talks-pardons-fbi-whistleblowers-and-more-jill-savage-monica-paige-brendon-leslie-mark-mitchell-the-breana-morello-show?t=0) podcast that he wants to take a “hard look” at the Whitmer case, particularly the two ringleaders—Adam Fox and Barry Croft Jr.—who are serving longer sentences. “On the pardon front, we can’t leave these guys behind,” Martin Jr. said. **Read More**: [_A Stark Look at the Recent History of Political Violence in America_](https://time.com/6998406/political-violence-united-states-recent-history/) ## **Gov. Gretchen Whitmer is often considered to be a potential 2028 candidate for the Democratic Party** Many consider Whitmer as a potential 2028 contender to run for President. Michigan is often regarded as a key swing state in the presidential race—with close margins in the past election and 15 electoral votes up for grabs. The second-term Governor also has a strong approval rating—63% according to the results of an [Impact Research poll](https://www.politico.com/f/?id=00000197-0fc9-ddda-a1df-5fdfad410000) published in May. Whitmer has been a key Democrat who has spoken [about working with Trump](https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/us-politics/gretchen-whitmer-tariffs-trump-b2730733.html), rather than against him, leading some to see her as a diplomatic choice for the 2028 election, amid ongoing efforts to bridge political divides. Whitmer has yet to confirm that she plans to run for President—in fact, she denied she has any intention of running in 2028 when asked [during a July 2024 interview](https://eu.freep.com/story/opinion/columnists/nancy-kaffer/2024/07/07/michigan-whitmer-new-book-true-gretch/74249101007/) with the _Detroit Free Press_. "I have no plans. I have no plans to run for President, not this year, not in the foreseeable future. I'm not making any plans on that front," she said. ```json [{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","@id":"https://time.com/7289704/governor-gretchen-whitmer-response-trump-considers-pardoning-kidnap-plot-men/","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://time.com/7289704/governor-gretchen-whitmer-response-trump-considers-pardoning-kidnap-plot-men/"},"headline":"Gov. 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