Donald Trump says he'll 'take a look' at Joe Exotic's pardon request

President Donald Trump has said during a press conference on Wednesday (April 8) that he will "take a look" at a request for pardon from Tiger King star Joe “Exotic” Maldonado-Passage.

The President was asked about Maldonado-Passage's request by a reporter from the New York Post after his eldest son, Donald Trump Jr., joked that he would lobby for his father to pardon the roadside zookeeper from his 22-year sentence during an interview on SiriusXM on Monday.

When the reporter told President Trump about his son's interview, Trump responded by asking: "Which son? Must be Don — What did he do?”

The President then asked about Maldonado-Passage and the nature of his crimes, saying: "I know nothing about it […] he has 22 for what? What did he do?"

After the reporter explained what the "big cat" enthusiast imprisoned for, Trump asked: “Do you think he didn’t do it? Are you on his side? Are you recommending a pardon?” Before jokingly asking other journalists in the room: "Would you recommend a pardon?"

Then, as he went to take another question, Trump looked back at The Post reporter and said: "I'll take a look".

In January 2020, 57-year-old Maldonado-Passage was sentenced to 22 years in prison after being convicted of orchestrating a murder-for-hire plot on rival Carole Baskin, and animal abuse - including charges detailing that he killed five of his own tigers - violating the Endangered Species Act.

Last month, Maldonado-Passage announced on Facebook that he will be filing a combined $94 million lawsuit against the feds from his jail cell, as well as asking President Trump to pardon his conviction.

The polygamist issued a call for a pardon from the POTUS after in a Facebook post on March 19. Alongside photos of the lawsuit files, he wrote:

"This lawsuit has been filed in the name of Justice, The Trump Administration must be made aware of the Overreach, perjury, abuse of power and the failure to uphold the Oath of their position which is truth and Justice for all.

"The Agencies and its [counterparts] have abused the system for a private agenda. The Director Dan Ashe used his Government position to [create] an illegal monopoly with the AZA and shut down [hard-working] American businesses for [self-gain].

"I have been illegally charged with these crimes and the Trump Administration, the United States Department of Interior along [with] the Federal Wildlife service must be held accountable for what they have done to me, my parents and my family, along with my animals. Thank you and please share."

Maldonado-Passage is representing himself in his lawsuit and filed it in a federal court in Oklahoma.

In his lawsuit, he accuses the Fish and Wildlife Service of putting the "generic tiger" on the endangered species list "for the sole purpose of allowing animal rights groups to sue small zoos and circuses" and to make "privately-owned tigers extinct".

He is also arguing that he was "discriminated against because he is the only person charged with this statute because [he] is an openly gay male with the largest collection of generic tigers and crossbreeds".