I keep hearing this from my friends too. A bunch of people online think Donald Trump will probably try to pardon Derek Chauvin if he’s president again, but honestly, he can only pardon Chauvin’s federal crimes, not his state ones. That’s just how the laws work. The Minnesota Attorney General, Keith Ellison, already said even if Trump went through with a federal pardon, Derek Chauvin would still have to finish his murder sentence in state prison—so he’s not just going to walk free even if Trump tries something huge.

There’s a ton of talk coming from right-wing people, like Elon Musk and Ben Shapiro, saying Chauvin got too harsh a sentence or that everything was political, but the real politicians in Minnesota seem ready for any possibility. Some, like Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene, are saying Trump should do it, but again, even if he did, it changes less than people think. If there’s a political riot or something, Minneapolis has plans in place too.

Honestly, this feels more like a talking point for the election than something that’s actually about letting Chauvin out. Don’t believe every rumor—Chauvin’s probably staying in prison for a long time no matter who’s in the White House.