President Donald Trump told reporters he is considering pardoning former NSA contractor Edward Snowden for leaking a stockpile of classified files to several news organizations in 2013.
“There are a lot of people that think that he is not being treated fairly,” Trump said in an interview Thursday. “Many people are on his side.”
Snowden currently resides in Russia where he was granted asylum, after fleeing the United States for revealing top-secret files that exposed the massive extent of the government’s spy operations in-country and abroad. He was charged with theft of government property and violating the Espionage Act in 2013.
Snowden’s lawyers have been trying to negotiate a deal for him to return to the States without facing jail time, but were unable to agree on terms of repatriation. Following the release of his 2019 memoir, Permanent Record, the government filed a civil suit against Snowden for violating non-disclosure agreements with both the CIA and NSA.
His lawyer, Anatoly Kucherena, has insisted that Snowden hasn’t perpetrated any crimes and shouldn’t just be pardoned but exonerated from future prosecution. “He was acting not only in the interest of the American citizens but the interest of all humankind,” Kucherena remarked.
President Trump has clearly relaxed his stance that Snowden is “a spy who should be executed.” Back in 2014, Trump tweeted that “Snowden is a traitor and a disgrace.”
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.
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) May 30, 2014
In a New Jersey news conference held on Saturday, he told reporters about the possibility of a pardon, “I’m going to start looking at it.”
Snowden is a modern day Paul Revere
He didn’t do anything near what the spy did, that Obama pardoned. In fact he showed what is out there for the USA, including regarding the deep state. We need to have somebody to research all that is about the illegal media & the government on both sides. Although he should be Nonpartisan and make his findings public for the American citizens.
With Trump being in charge for 3+ years now do you think there is anything illegal still going on our government?
Nonpartisan
American citizens
No such thing.
He is a Traitor, do not pardon. Mr. President!
Wish we had more “traitors” like him to expose crimes against innocent citizens.
Why because he proved what Obama was doing was illegal.
I think Snowden should be given a medal for bringing out the truth of the Deep State and the NSA’s spying on the citizens of the USA.
What did Snowden prove that what Obama did that was illegale?
I am of mixed feelings about Snowden. On the one hand he did in fact take papers and information pertaining to classified documents. (So did Clinton) on the other hand we (the citizens) would never have know about the abuse being done by the intel units. Spying on another country may be allowed but spying on your own country is a lot different. That is how dictators start out by gaining information before dropping a hammer.
Which ones did Clinton take?
I’d wait until AFTER the Election to make any determination. There are a lot of reasons for doing so then rather than now.
One thing to keep in mind is that there are those who’d support the President’s re-election but who’d withdraw that support for issuing a Snowden pardon. It would be far better to reveal the reasons for doing so AFTER the election should the determination be to go ahead with a pardon.
Not wise to risk the support one must have to win by taking such a gamble.
After all, AFTER the election Snowden can reveal all of the nefarious deeds of the very organizations in the US that were responsible for the problems the Democrats put on Trump from the very beginning.
Goes to their systemic high level corruption.
Yes, if the President wants to do it, wait until after the Election because we are confident of another 4 years!
Good point.
NO DO NOT PARDON TRAITOR SNOWDEN
Why did you not call for Eric’s arrest Schiff’s fake whistleblower who lies. At Least Snowden leaked facts.
Why did Trump fail to prosecute Schiff’s fake whistleblower?
Not enough evidence?
Yes Pat,
give obama,soros and hillary a MEDAL for cheating and spying.!
We don’t live in socialist state where the government can spy on innocent citizens.Wish there were more in CIA, NSA and FBI that thought like him. He should return a hero for having the courage to expose these crimes.
Not yet we don’t live in a socialist state, but if Trump doesn’t win this election, we are seriously a socialist country, make no mistake about that.
We live in a socialist country.
Social Security
Medicare
Medicaid
Obamacare
Progressive Income Tax.
Unemployment.
Food Stamps
Hospital Emergency Room Care (without regards to means).
Home mortgage interest tax relief
Subsidized housing (Section 8)
Free to heavily subsidized transportation
To name a few.
Social Security
Don’t put you adds here!
Hell no. This is a bad idea.
Sir, what are you peddling? I would think TTN would block you from the site.
It is a paid advertisement you fucking moron.
How do think TTN makes money.
I think he should be pardoned. He was a real whistleblower. Unlike the fake one democrats have hidden who put out false info.
Whatever our President thinks is right is fine with me.
Put Joe in jail?
DO NOT PARDON! This lying BullShiff traitor should have been executed a long time ago. Granted, he exposed the pervasive spying on US civilians and is now using that as a reason to be pardoned. He also stole very high value intelligence that he sold to China and the Soviet Union. A previous so-called heroic/good act does not give you a get out of jail free card to commit a heinous act. He was a traitor, is a traitor, and will always be a traitor, and in my opinion, should have been executed for his treasonous acts!!!
How much money did he from Chiner?
*get
The Soviet Union was dissolved 30+ years ago you ignorant slut.
Don’t do it, Mr President! The Left will go totally crazy even though they have pardoned worse characters. Snowden should get the punishment befitting his crimes, such as they were but they need to be fully investigated. We can’t operate on feelings and hatred the way the Left does it but we must fight back!! MAGA/KAG
Nobody pays attention to you!!
I think Trump should pardon Snowden AND Julian Assange after the November election. Snowden exposed the scope of Deep State surveillance targeting ordinary, law abiding citizens. That’s a necessity for Democrat ambitions for authoritarian controls targeting opposition speech. They’re invoking controls to maintain censorship & much worse. Without Snowden, we would only suspect how badly Democrats have deviated from the Constitution, but we would never know for sure. Let me add, Julian Assange also deserves a formal Presidential Pardon.
President Trump should study the case carefully. If he decides a pardon is warranted, he should do that after he is re-elected. This is quite a hit button issue.
President Trump should go with his gut.
He is such a great judge of the worth of a man.
Almost God like.
Snowdon was working against the Dark State that was in control of the Govt. He is a hero !!
SPOT ON.
How can the President pardon someone who hasn’t been convicted of a crime?
Let that fool stay in Russia, he’s nothing but trouble!
You don’t have to convicted to be pardoned do you, it doesn’t seem fair.
He is no bigger traitor than OBAMA and BIDEN.
Regardless of everything Snowden supporters may have identified as positive, his treachery per other responders, he has violated trust and his presumed ethics by doing so. He violated his contract and his country’s security for certain, therefore, zero ethics. He could have gone to the IG or the papers and filed reports. Putting all that classified information on the web is a cyber sin. What he did cannot be condoned or pardoned. He likes Russia; he can stay in Russia where he belongs. Don’t want him back in America with what he did! No pardon….jeff
I think we need ALL information to make a proper decision in this matter. We simply cannot trust the government and other factions. They’re interests lie in protecting their respective territories and not what is right, BUT I don’t want to give a traitor a free pass either! Therefore I would trust President Trump to weigh in on the matter and go with his decision. I know we can’t have any Joe Blow to expose genuine bona fide secrets that need to remain such, BUT if and when the government is acting outside of constitutional boundaries they need to be brought back into compliance without reprisal and/or retaliation towards a whistle blower.
If Snowden agreed to Non-disclosure agreements with the NSA and CIA, and willfully violated those agreements, he should be held accountable. It’s one thing if you violate NDA’s when you work for a sports footwear or cell phone manufacturing company, but national security information? And he is in Russia now, but what did he also tell the Chinese? I think death is a bit extreme unless there is a lot of info harmful to our Country we haven’t been told about yet? But as an American I don’t want him back-he made his choice, let him live with it!
I think what bothers me more than anything is he’s been in Russia for 7 years and we should consider what they have been doing with him!
Wait until after the election and then investigate and interview him checking for brainwashing by the Russians!
Personally, I think what he did was morally correct in exposing the Obama administration’s spying on American citizens.
If, for some chance, Biden steals this election, I just might be joining Snowden. I hear Irkutsk is a nice city..Lots of pulchritudinous women too!
But it’s in Siberia and damn cold (for that matter, so is most of Russia in winter!). I was in Siberia once (in summer, of course), with a friend – and we stopped in Irkutsk for 3 days (long story – it was NOT on the original itinerary!), met up with some other young people (this was nearly 50 years ago, I should add!), and we had one helluva time! We drank and made a lot of noise!! And we did all that partying with some junior-type KGB who were there “to monitor us,” no less!! GREAT memories!!
Meaning you were an Ugly American.
Must you be a jerk?
Stay focused and don’t stir the pot with yet something else the media will talk and spin talk and spin about. NO upside to this
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.
1:41 PM · May 30, 2014
Mr. President as you said on May 30th, 2014, “Snowden is a traitor and disgrace”, and that has not changed. Yes, we want him back so that he may stand trial and go to jail forever. He put many personnel in danger by leaking classified documents, that too has not changed. He does not deserve a pardon. He is a traitor and should be treated as one.
No dont do it. Pardon Julian Assange instead
I agree with AG Barr. Do NOT pardon Snowden!
He is getting his punishment by living in a Marxist/Communist country. If the Dems win in November, then Snowden would be right at home in the Marxist USA, I do agree that there are worse spies that tried to form a coup against President Trump, led by Obama. However, a lot of damage was done by releasing all of that classified information and he should be held accountable. .
Once upon a time, I would have condemned Snowden for releasing the information as to government spying…but now, no, I have changed my mind as the more we know of Obama and the Obama Administration corruption as well as the behavior, the lies and deceits, of the DOJ actions of the FBI and CIA leaders. How our government under these men and women betrayed America, just as the Democrats in government all over the Nation are doing now. I am in favor of President Trump pardoning Snowden.
I’ve always thought of Ed Snowden as a Hero for exposing what our government was doing, and I would like to see him pardoned, right after the election. Problem is, if President Trump loses the election… never mind, Trump won’t lose, so pardon Snowden NOW. If they win, the demoncraps wouldn’t want to pardon Snowden because they’d be afraid of what he could uncover about them.
Something that should be done AFTER the November election and your reelection Mr. President. There are way too many uninformed people who would most likely pull their support of you thinking it is the wrong thing to do. After your reelection bring out ALL the facts of what Snowden did and then make up your mind.
Many things about Snowden are uncertain. I’d trust Trump’s judgment on this. At least Trump isn’t taking money for his pardons like one former President did. But regardless, he’ll be criticized for it and lied about.
Yes, pardon Snowden after the election and before leaving office.
Now that the president has been a victim of those bastards in the government he is more lenient on his stance of Snowden.
Eric must know that the Deep State never sleeps. Coming back to the USA is akin to climbing up on the target and setting up a lawn chair right inside the bullseye. His days are numbered should he return, here. As we know, “accidents” do happen.
Eric knows well that the Deep State never sleeps. If he returns to the USA, that is akin to climbing up on the target and setting a lawn chair up in the center of the bullseye. His days are numbered because he took a hero’s path. We all know “accidents” happen.