Trump shares clip of Fox host Tucker Carlson suggesting he pardon Stone

President Trump early Thursday shared a clip of Fox News host Tucker Carlson saying that the president could end the “travesty” of Roger Stone’s criminal case, suggesting that Trump may be considering pardoning his longtime confidant.

The clip, which was taken from Carlson’s Wednesday opinion program, included the outspoken Trump ally vehemently denouncing the original sentencing recommendation Stone received for lying to Congress and witness tampering. He then added that “Trump could end this travesty in an instant with a pardon, and there are indications tonight that he will do that.”

“Democrats will become unhinged if Trump pardons Stone, but they’re unhinged anyway,” Carlson said.

“What has happened to Roger Stone should never happen to anyone in this country of any political party,” he added. “It’s completely immoral, it’s wrong. Fixing it is the right thing to do.”

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— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) February 20, 2020

The White House did not immediately return a request for comment from The Hill. 

Stone is scheduled to be sentenced on Thursday for crimes unearthed amid former special counsel Robert Mueller’s investigation. His case sparked controversy last week after Justice Department leaders intervened to ask for a shorter sentence than the prosecution team had originally recommended. 

Prosecutors initially told a federal judge that Stone should serve a prison sentence of seven to nine years. Trump voiced outrage on Twitter over the recommendation, and the Justice Department stated just a day later that the original recommendation did not “accurately reflect” its position. The Justice Department has said that the decision to reduce the sentencing recommendation was made before and independent of Trump’s tweet and without any discussion with the White House.

Stone’s entire prosecution team resigned after the development in what was widely viewed as a sign of protest. The events have also spurred renewed calls from Democrats for Attorney General William Barr to resign.

Trump has continued to speak out about the case, telling reporters earlier this week that he thought Stone was being “treated unfairly.” He said, however, that he hasn’t thought about granting a pardon to his former associate. 

Speaking on his Fox News program, Carlson called the original sentencing recommendation a “shocking insult” and labeled U.S. District Judge Amy Berman Jackson, an Obama appointee who is doling out the sentence, an “open Democratic partisan.”

He also suggested that Trump could use the pardon powers he used for people such as financier Michael Milken and former New York police commissioner Bernie Kerik for Stone. 

The White House announced the pardons of Milken and Kerik on Tuesday, in addition to the pardons and commutations of a handful of other figures, including former Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich (D), who was imprisoned on corruption charges. 

Morgan Chalfant contributed to this report, which was updated at 7:40 a.m.