Will Trump pardon Tiger King star Joe Exotic and add him to his cabinet?

Washington DC - Now that Donald Trump will soon be president again, Joe Exotic, the unforgettable star of the hit Netflix docuseries Tiger King, is again begging for his help.

Netflix star Joe Exotic (l.) recently penned a letter to Donald Trump (r.) begging to be released from jail – and added to his presidential cabinet!
Netflix star Joe Exotic (l.) recently penned a letter to Donald Trump (r.) begging to be released from jail – and added to his presidential cabinet!  © Collage: AFP PHOTO / NETFLIX & Samuel Corum / GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA / Getty Images via AFP

Exotic recently shared a letter with Radar that he penned to Trump from prison in which he requests that the president-elect pardon him, as he is currently not set to be released from jail until 2036.

"Everyone hopes you keep the promises you made during your campaign, which include pardoning everyone sooner than later in January 2025," Exotic wrote.

"Some of those very people have been stuck in solitary confinement, forced to live like rats, have killed themselves in prison, or have died," he continued.

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"Some, like myself, have fought like hell to hang on, hoping for you to win this election."

He went on to also ask if Trump would appoint him to be director of Federal Fish and Wildlife within his administration.

Exotic was arrested in September 2018 for various violations of the Animal Welfare Act and was later convicted for hiring a hitman to murder Carole Baskin.

He has previously begged Trump for a pardon, which the politician ultimately decided against – but could this time be different?

Is anything likely to come from Joe Exotic's requests to Donald Trump?

Joe Exotic's legal team arrived in Washington DC in May 2022 in hopes of getting a chance to meet Donald Trump so that they could request a pardon in person.
Joe Exotic's legal team arrived in Washington DC in May 2022 in hopes of getting a chance to meet Donald Trump so that they could request a pardon in person.  © IMAGO / MediaPunch

Joe Exotic has long maintained his innocence and, while in prison, he has run a tireless campaign to raise awareness about his case.

While the idea of Trump – who has made a habit of surrounding himself with interesting characters and conspiracy theorists – granting Exotic's recent requests may seem wild, it could be more likely than most would like to admit.

Trump has been stacking his presidential cabinet with his staunchest MAGA allies lately, and a number of his picks have been met with controversy.

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For example, Trump is currently pushing for Florida Congressman Matt Gaetz to be his Attorney General despite his scandal-ridden resignation from Congress.

In a video that Exotic recently shared on his X page, a woman claiming to be his legal representative is seen asking Gaetz if he would consider Exotic as his running mate if he were to ever run for president.

Gaetz did know who Exotic was and claimed that the star writes him letters all the time, but said, "I would pardon him – that is the extent of the commitment I can make."

Cover photo: Collage: AFP PHOTO / NETFLIX & Samuel Corum / GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA / Getty Images via AFP

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