FULL PUBLIC STATEMENT BY TREVOR MILTON

PHOENIX, AZ (March 27, 2025) – In a landmark decision, President Donald J. Trump has granted a full and unconditional pardon of innocence to Trevor Milton, founder of Nikola Corporation.

The pardon, announced today, follows overwhelming evidence of misconduct in Milton’s trial and conviction, raising concerns about prosecutorial overreach—an issue President Trump has personally experienced.

In his second inaugural address, President Trump pledged to end the political weaponization of the Justice Department. This pardon marks a step toward fulfilling that commitment.

Milton, a visionary entrepreneur who pioneered the first zero-emission semi-truck in the U.S. to reach production, was wrongfully convicted in a case prosecuted by the Southern District of New York, led by former U.S. Attorney Damian Williams and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Matthew Podolsky and Nicolas Roos. Instead of accepting his wrongful conviction after numerous violations of his constitutional rights, Milton fought to expose the fundamental legal flaws in the case against him which ultimately resulted in his pardon.

Jury misconduct played a critical role in Milton’s conviction. One juror had previously expressed extreme bias by tweeting about wanting to “abolish the billionaire class” prior to trial yet falsely claimed during jury selection that she was not active on social media when she tweeted hundreds of times leading up to trial. This clear prejudice raises serious concerns about the fairness and impartiality of the jury. Even more troubling is the federal court’s refusal to address this bias when given the opportunity.

Several egregious violations of Milton’s constitutional rights were uncovered, including:

• Improper venue – The trial was held in New York, 2,000 miles away from Milton’s home and business operations in Arizona and Utah, where he would likely have been acquitted of all charges.
• Destruction of evidence – A key government witness deleted thousands of documents that showed Mr. Milton was innocent before the trial and likely perjured himself during trial. This same witness illegally recorded a conversation and was granted immunity by the prosecutors for his crimes.
• Incorrect jury instructions – Jurors admitted Mr. Milton “did not intend to harm anyone” but convicted him due to faulty jury instructions that allowed them to convict without criminal intent.
• Internal conspiracy – Recently uncovered emails suggest Nikola’s leadership sought to frame Milton for a crime he did not commit.

The striking similarities between Milton’s case and those brought against President Trump highlight systemic issues within the justice system, particularly within the Southern District of New York.

“This pardon is not just about me—it’s about every American who has been railroaded by the government, and unfortunately, that’s a lot of people,” said Milton. “It is no wonder why trust and confidence in the Justice Department has eroded to nothing. I wish judges would stop believing whatever the prosecutors feed them so Americans could trust the justice system again. Until that happens, our justice system will continue to erode until there is nothing left. The 90+% conviction rate in New York is appalling and is a result of prosecutors getting whatever they want and putting innocent people in prison. I saw firsthand the tactics they use to achieve those guaranteed convictions. I am incredibly grateful to President Trump for his courage in standing up for what is right and for granting me this sacred pardon of innocence.”

With his record fully cleared and his freedom and rights restored, Milton is set to launch a documentary exposing the corruption and misconduct that led to his wrongful conviction.

MEDIA CONTACT:
Jeffery Mann
media@trevormilton.com
1-801-513-3359 
1DS Media Relations Mgr.