Bloomberg reports that President Donald Trump has pardoned Nikola Corp. founder and former CEO Trevor Milton for his 2022 securities and wire fraud conviction. Nikola is an alternative fuel semi-truck company headquartered in Phoenix, Arizona, which filed for bankruptcy in February 2025. A member of Milton’s legal team said his client is “just delighted” by the development.
Trevor Milton
Although sentenced to four years in prison plus fines, Trevor Milton was free on bail while appealing his sentence. A longtime donor to conservative political causes, Milton’s family notably donated $1.8 million to the Trump campaign in October 2024.
Nikola was founded by Trevor Milton in 2014, and the company went public in 2020. Less than a month after going public, Nikola started taking reservations for the Badger fuel-cell pickup truck before a prototype had been unveiled. At the stock’s peak in June 2020, Nikola’s market value neared $30 billion, briefly surpassing Ford’s value.
Nikola Badger
Nikola and GM announced a partnership in September 2020, with GM planning to manufacture the Badger. The Nikola Badger was a pickup truck intended to be offered in two variants: a hydrogen fuel-cell plug-in hybrid and a BEV. The original plan was for it to go on sale in 2022.
Two days after that announcement, a research firm published a report accusing Trevor Milton of falsifying statements about Nikola’s products and technologies, triggering investigations by the SEC and DOJ and tanking the stock. Amid this controversy, GM pulled out of the deal to manufacture the Nikola Badger in November 2020.
Nikola Tre
Milton’s 2021 indictment was for falsifying details about Nikola’s development. In October 2022, he was found guilty of one count of securities fraud and two counts of wire fraud.
In addition to keeping Milton out of jail, the pardon effectively absolves the Nikola founder of the $168 million court-ordered financial compensation he previously owed to Nikola’s shareholders.
Comments
Total B.S.
There needs to be an amendment to block corrupt favors like this.
Unfortunately both parties will give knowing smirks and ensure it doesn’t get anywhere.
It’s amazing what money can do… ¯\_(ツ)_/¯. Bah humbug.
A con man pardoning another con man is known as “professional courtesy” among white collar con men.
Uncle Joe pardoned a murderer and numerous drug dealers. Not to mention people who sold secrets to Iran and other terrorist organizations in the middle east.
You shouldnt trust fox news/newsmax.
You certainly can’t rely on woke CNN.
You’re WRONG! He COMMUTED death sentences to life in prison. Biden did NOT turn the criminals loose on the streets. Unlike your convicted felon (tRump) who turned all the convicted people for the 1/6 unsuccessful coup, loose on the streets. One felon washes the hands of other felons. 🤬
Since when is GM news about politics. I thought we were talking about cars. Needless to say where GM sides with, maybe you should move all your business to China.
The legit tie-in is Milton’s aborted e-pickup deal with GM.
Another April Fool’s Joke. No way a President would reward someone with a pardon just because he donates to a campaign or commits crimes against our country in the name of a that same President. It just wouldn’t make sense in a country that has respect for law and order and our constitution.
Joke’s on us. Sadly it’s not a laughing matter. Look at the unbridled carnage going on right now all across the country. Nothing’s investigated, no evidence is presented, just a drug addled mad man wildly destroying our country. ðŸ˜
Obviously, but sadly, it seems that “justice” is for sale for the wealthy by paying off the head convicted felon – Trump. 🤡
Land of the free – my a*s! 😪 🇺🇲
With Trump, everything is for sale except maybe his orange hair.
Republicans are literally corrupt criminals now. Literally.
A research firm run by Biden. You have too look further!
Go watch the movie Idiocracy and compare it to what is going on today.