The claim is mostly true because Elon Musk amplified and supported calls for President Donald Trump to pardon Derek Chauvin, although the available evidence does not show that Musk directly demanded Chauvin’s immediate release or that Chauvin was freed.
Mostly True
Elon Musk calls for Derek Chauvin to be freed.
Elon Musk Weighs In on Derek Chauvin Pardon Proposal From Ben Shapiro - Newsweek
Source: newsweek.com
At a glance
Verified August 19, 2026Key Evidence
Newsweek, Fast Company, Democracy Now!, Police1, and the Star Tribune all reported in March 2025 that Musk promoted or supported calls for President Trump to pardon Derek Chauvin.
The Star Tribune’s account is especially relevant because it describes Musk’s own social-media response as saying that pardoning Chauvin’s federal sentence was worth considering.
None of the provided sources confirms that President Trump granted a pardon or that Chauvin was released.
The reporting
What the Evidence Shows
Multiple reports dated March 5-7, 2025, indicate that Elon Musk endorsed or amplified a campaign led by Ben Shapiro urging President Donald Trump to pardon Derek Chauvin. The Star Tribune reported that Musk shared a post saying pardoning Chauvin’s federal sentence was “something to think about,” while Newsweek, Fast Company, Democracy Now!, Police1, and other outlets described Musk as backing or joining the pardon effort.
The wording “calls for Derek Chauvin to be freed” is a reasonable shorthand for supporting a pardon, since a pardon could end or reduce Chauvin’s federal sentence. However, it is somewhat stronger than the directly described conduct in the supplied evidence. The sources generally portray Musk as sharing, amplifying, or expressing support for another person’s pardon proposal, rather than issuing an unequivocal standalone demand that Chauvin be released.
The claim also should not be read as saying that Chauvin was actually freed. The supplied sources describe a proposal or campaign directed at President Trump, not a completed pardon or release. The June 2026 Caliber.Az result repeats that Musk supported a campaign, but it likewise does not establish that a pardon was granted.
Primary trail
Verified Sources10
Open source