If Derek Chauvin ever got a federal pardon, I think things could get pretty heated, but not exactly how everyone assumes. He’d still have to serve his Minnesota state murder sentence, so he wouldn’t just walk out of prison or something dramatic like that. The federal pardon would only cover his federal charges, not the state ones—so legally, it’s more symbolic than a total game changer.

But honestly, what would change is people’s reactions. I remember when stuff hit the fan in 2020, and even rumors about Chauvin's release sparked protests. A real pardon would look like a slap in the face to lots of people who cared about justice for George Floyd. Politicians and city leaders are already talking about emergency plans just in case things get chaotic.

So, even though Chauvin would still be locked up, the country could see a ton of political drama, protests, and big debates about justice and racism. People online would go wild, and I bet it would be all over TikTok and Twitter. My guess is the pardon itself wouldn’t let him go home, but everyone would still totally freak out. So, you’d get huge reactions but not a real change in where Chauvin lives for years.