Trump Might Pardon Edward Snowden

[Frodo]

Rumors are flying.  

[emailking]

No I don't think so. See below for why.

Other tweets from 2013-2014 (nothing since)

"@Eriksson: Call it any way you like, but Snowden is a traitor. When our country was great do you know what we did to traitors?” 😑😑😑"
https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/474442564074876928

Snowden is a traitor and a disgrace. Make no mistake, he is no hero. In fact he is a coward who should come back & face justice.
https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/472447734860218369

Snowden is a liar.and a fraud!
https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/471993761648492544

Have you ever seen our country look weaker or more pathetic: Snowden, ObamaCare, VA, Russia, jobs, decimated military, debt and so much more
https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/471991556850081792

Like it or not, Edward Snowden is a SPY and should be tried as a SPY! He has stolen invaluable information and damaged us with other nations
https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/471423704597942273

Look, Snowden is bad, done tremendous damage to our country and standing - but we have far worse in our government (guess who?).
https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/457787929969324032

Snowden is a spy who has caused great damage to the U.S. A spy in the old days, when our country was respected and strong, would be executed
https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/457314934473633792

Remember, Russia still has Snowden. When are we going to bring that piece of human garbage back home to stand trial? He caused great damage!
https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/457303458266513408

Get Snowden back from Russia—he has done tremendous damage to the US & should pay a very heavy price.
https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/456144054640586752

On top of the disrespect shown by Russia, don’t forget they still have Snowden, who has given them (& everyone) massive US secrets.
https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/456143828991213568

Snowden should come back to America and face justice. Instead, he is begging for clemency from Moscow. Treat him as a spy.
https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/418849306783657985

"@cooey2ruley: @realDonaldTrump since you are in Russia go kick Snowden in the ass."
https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/399181878470520833

Message to Edward Snowden, you’re banned from @MissUniverse. Unless you want me to take you back home to face justice!
https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/392382893470662656

Snowden is handing over to Russia a treasure trove of intel. Our politicians are incapable of dealing!
https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/363008114582228992

@kaplunm "@realDonaldTrump thoughts on Snowden being granted asylum in Russia?" No respect for U.S. by Russia.
https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/362989122232647680

"@fam5rock: @realDonaldTrump #snowden not a traitor. Shared info with fellow Americans who have a right to know about NSA snooping" Bull****
https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/361223434195312640
(not censored on Twitter)

I would invite Edward Snowden to be a judge at the Miss Universe Pageant in Moscow but would be concerned that he would sell results early!
https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/356180327271641091

Russia should hand over Snowden to the U.S. but they are having too much fun taunting our leaders.
https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/356010388946558977

Snowden has given serious information to China and Russia-anyone who thinks otherwise is a dope! He is a traitor who fled-he knew the crime!
https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/355119266317615105

Lying traitor Snowden now claims that he did not give any information to the Russians or Chinese.  Why doesn’t he come home then?
https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/355062513148231680

Snowden, if you’re such a hero then come back home and face justice.  In reality, you are just another wiseguy traitor.
https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/352096103350546434

Edward Snowden is absolutely killing the the U.S. with other countries!
https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/351645788994158593

How did Snowden, with not even a high school education, get access to top secret U.S. records. He then gave, or sold, those records-traitor!
https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/350602182237753344

Call it any way you like, but Snowden is a traitor. When our country was great do you know what we did to traitors?
https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/350338032790028288

"@CoolChange80: @realDonaldTrump Are you really calling for the execution of #Snowden ."  He is a traitor, absolutely. Others won't follow!
https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/349697448366718977

Snowden is doing great damage to our relations with other countries and U.S.prestige. China is laughing at us as he continues illegal action
https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/346996400963338240

Snowden is sitting in China and taunting the U.S. He is mocking us as a Country. Great time to place a tax on China trade if not turned over
https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/346993964483743746

If Snowden was such a hero then he would be in America.  He is escaping justice!
https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/344850299934097409


My favorite:

All I can say is that if I were President, Snowden would have already been returned to the U.S. (by their fastest jet) and with an apology!
https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/346998236776640513

[Former Crackhead Mike Lindell]

I wish he would.

[This user has not been convicted of 34 felonies]

There's absolutely no chance he will.

[Former Crackhead Mike Lindell]

I do think that, when it comes to Trump's salvo of pardons, he *will* include some - maybe unexpected - figures to draw media attention. The number one reason to pardon Mr. Tiger King is to get people talking (and memeing). He'd much rather people talk about that, than folks like Manafort or Bannon (unsure if they're charged with federal or state crimes, but you get the idea). So, sure, why not, throw in Snowden too. Please everyone. Upset everyone. Get everyone talking. It's all the same.

[Red Velvet]

It would be very awesome and punk of him to do so, give the middle finger to establishment democrats and republicans in his way out.

It would also position him as the one in favor of free speech and mainstream media would have to do backflips in order to explain how such an “authoritarian” is taking such position. After four years of being called a fascist, show who the real authoritarians are!

Most likely media would try to rely on the “Trump bad” narrative they adopted on every single thing he does and argue that “Snowden and Assange enemies of the country”, since there’s no significant difference from neoliberal propaganda from neoconservative one these days.

That said, I don’t think Trump has balls to do this, he was always more controlled by the Republican establishment and the “deep state” than his supporters ever liked to admit and doesn’t exactly represent what they do. He mostly capitalized on that anger in rhetoric only.

[Grumpier Than Uncle Joe]

There's absolutely no chance he will.

What R2 just said.  Nyet.

[Florida Man for Crime]

I do think that, when it comes to Trump's salvo of pardons, he *will* include some - maybe unexpected - figures to draw media attention. The number one reason to pardon Mr. Tiger King is to get people talking (and memeing). He'd much rather people talk about that, than folks like Manafort or Bannon (unsure if they're charged with federal or state crimes, but you get the idea). So, sure, why not, throw in Snowden too. Please everyone. Upset everyone. Get everyone talking. It's all the same.

Yeah, that is my take also. I think this is also why he pardoned some other people already, like Rod Blagojevich for example.

He wants to just throw out a bunch of pardons, many of which will be controversial and generate a lot of heat, so that the pardons that he does to cover up his own and his associate's crimes "blend in" and are less noticeable by comparison than if he just only pardoned to cover up crimes that he himself is associated with.

[President Johnson]

If that happens, watch Republican lawmakers turn like a prezel on this after they called for Snowden's death sentence.

[emailking]

If that happens, watch Republican lawmakers turn like a prezel on this after they called for Snowden's death sentence.

He called for it himself!

[Alben Barkley]

It would be very awesome and punk of him to do so, give the middle finger to establishment democrats and republicans in his way out.

It would also position him as the one in favor of free speech and mainstream media would have to do backflips in order to explain how such an “authoritarian” is taking such position. After four years of being called a fascist, show who the real authoritarians are!

Most likely media would try to rely on the “Trump bad” narrative they adopted on every single thing he does and argue that “Snowden and Assange enemies of the country”, since there’s no significant difference from neoliberal propaganda from neoconservative one these days.

That said, I don’t think Trump has balls to do this, he was always more controlled by the Republican establishment and the “deep state” than his supporters ever liked to admit and doesn’t exactly represent what they do. He mostly capitalized on that anger in rhetoric only.

Snowden is a hypocrite and an apologist for the authoritarian regime in Russia, so it wouldn't take any backflips at all to understand why a fellow authoritarian and Putin fan might pardon him. It's quite logical.

[GoTfan]

Might be the one decent thing he does.

That said, Trump's also called for his execution, so . . .

[Absentee Voting Ghost of Ruin]

It would be very awesome and punk of him to do so, give the middle finger to establishment democrats and republicans in his way out.

It would also position him as the one in favor of free speech and mainstream media would have to do backflips in order to explain how such an “authoritarian” is taking such position. After four years of being called a fascist, show who the real authoritarians are!

"Outgoing President abuses office to create problems for successor" is hardly a backflip. #DiaperDon has been President for nearly four years. Pretending his tantrums are coming from principle is unworthy.

[Absentee Voting Ghost of Ruin]

https://mobile.twitter.com/Snowden/status/1338974576047480835

[Farmlands]

I do think that, when it comes to Trump's salvo of pardons, he *will* include some - maybe unexpected - figures to draw media attention. The number one reason to pardon Mr. Tiger King is to get people talking (and memeing). He'd much rather people talk about that, than folks like Manafort or Bannon (unsure if they're charged with federal or state crimes, but you get the idea). So, sure, why not, throw in Snowden too. Please everyone. Upset everyone. Get everyone talking. It's all the same.

Yeah, that is my take also. I think this is also why he pardoned some other people already, like Rod Blagojevich for example.

He wants to just throw out a bunch of pardons, many of which will be controversial and generate a lot of heat, so that the pardons that he does to cover up his own and his associate's crimes "blend in" and are less noticeable by comparison than if he just only pardoned to cover up crimes that he himself is associated with.

And like many of the actions of his presidency, he might do it just out of spite for Obama and all the Democrats in Congress who were opposed to this from the very beginning. Too bad that's the only hope left for Mr. Snowden.

[Sir Mohamed]

It's just consequent. Snowden harmed Obama's reputations overseas, so why shouldn't Mr. Trump pardon him?

[Yeahsayyeah]

That would  be the only good thing out of his presidency, so I doubt IT.

[SWE]

It would be very awesome and punk of him to do so, give the middle finger to establishment democrats and republicans in his way out.

It would also position him as the one in favor of free speech and mainstream media would have to do backflips in order to explain how such an “authoritarian” is taking such position. After four years of being called a fascist, show who the real authoritarians are!

"Outgoing President abuses office to create problems for successor" is hardly a backflip. #DiaperDon has been President for nearly four years. Pretending his tantrums are coming from principle is unworthy.

How would pardoning Snowden be an abuse of power and what problems would it create for Biden?

[Red Velvet]

It would be very awesome and punk of him to do so, give the middle finger to establishment democrats and republicans in his way out.

It would also position him as the one in favor of free speech and mainstream media would have to do backflips in order to explain how such an “authoritarian” is taking such position. After four years of being called a fascist, show who the real authoritarians are!

"Outgoing President abuses office to create problems for successor" is hardly a backflip. #DiaperDon has been President for nearly four years. Pretending his tantrums are coming from principle is unworthy.

Lol I don’t care about whether good actions come out of “principle”, liberals are the ones who care more about speech and political correctness, I care about good actions being done because they’re the right thing to do and will affect the world in a positive way regardless of who puts them into existence. If Trump does something good, it should be stimulated instead of uncritical opposition that just wants to “be opposite to Trump in everything” in order to achieve some self-servicing moral purism or something.

If Trump were to pardon Snowden and Assange (I don’t think so, he’s too much of a coward for that), he would position himself as better than most democrats who became anti free speech in the moment it became politically more convenient to them. Have good company with Liz Cheney and the neocons!

[Karpatsky]

If Snowden were only, or even primarily, a whistleblower, he might deserve a pardon - not that he would necessarily need it, since there are at least in theory protections for actual whistleblowers. But he isn't. He is a defector who sold hundreds of thousands of military and intelligence files, the vast majority of which had nothing to do with what he allegedly was trying to blow the whistle on, to Russia and China in exchange for their protecting him from standing trial.

[Horus]

I was always surprised he pardoned Blagojevich but not Kwame Kilpatrick, the latter could've been more helpful electorally.

[ilivlit]

No, he can't. It's not up to Trump. Edward Snowden is Putin's asset now.

[Santander]

No, he can't. It's not up to Trump. Edward Snowden is Putin's asset now.

So is Trump. They have so much in common.