Trump says he is considering pardon for leaker Edward Snowden

The Republican president's comments followed an interview (here) Trump gave to the New York Post this week in which he said of Snowden that "there are a lot of people that think that he is not being treated fairly" by U.S. law enforcement.

U.S. authorities for years have wanted Snowden returned to the United States to face a criminal trial on espionage charges brought in 2013.

Snowden fled the United States and was given asylum in Russia after he leaked a trove of secret files in 2013 to news organizations that revealed vast domestic and international surveillance operations carried out by the NSA.

Trump's softening stance toward Snowden represents a sharp reversal. Shortly after the leaks, Trump expressed (here) hostility toward Snowden

Trump says he is considering pardon for leaker Edward Snowden

Change of heart for the president? Maybe U-turn from his general hostility towards leakers? Whatever it is, whatever invasive policies have gone under him, don't care, he gets a big tick of approval for me. Good move, and this will help him toward his campaign for re-election. Edward Snowden is a patriot, he did what he felt the American people needed to know. The Obama administration pretty much deserted him, various agencies chased after him. After Trump's harsh comments and positions against Julian Assange (whom I'm not of the positive feeling in the same way as Edward), I was skeptical.

There's a worthwhile pardon.

a reply to: Southern Guardian

They are currently waging a war against Trump, against reporters and whistle blowers that have defended him and exposed plot's to oust him and even to rig elections by using mind control technology.
www.abovetopsecret.com...

So you can see why he would want to defend the US constitution, whistle blowers come under the heading of conscientious objectors, they see something wrong and try to make it right.

Snowdon may have done a lot of wrong though, but his motives may indeed have been right, the question the president has to ask himself is if Snowdon harmed the US or it's allies, if so then a pardon should be put on the back burner BUT if he did not harm and instead just harmed a faction within the US whom were abusing there position then not only a pardon but a medal should be considered.

Is Snowdon guilty, does his motivation give reason to believe he was acting out of patriotism against what he saw as an enemy within or was he just a traitor, actually only a truly unbiased court could decide that but were would you find the jurors for such a court.

For many years I was very hard on Snowden. It wasn't until about 2018 that I softened my view of what he was doing. I've always had a hard time with people who violate the trust of their positions. Hardly ever is it a good thing.

For the immense impact Snowden's actions had on our understanding of the relationship between the people and the government, we all owe him a debt of gratitude. For the years of derision from people like me, we owe him an apology.

a reply to: Southern Guardian

Let's hope he sees it through.

Snowden acted with his conscience. I see no reason to punish him any further.

a reply to: Southern Guardian

Many kudos for calling a good move just that when it happens.

In our polarized climate, I feel often times more good things don't happen because many of us are simply too proud to praise the rare good things for our society.

This is good. This is a step towards the right direction simply by admission sometimes we get something wrong. One popular sentiment in the two party system is American Exceptionalism. And even with all the rhetoric of the left "hating America", their foreign policy seems to be in lockstep with the neocons. The line between foreign and domestic policy's line was blurred on the historic day in the early 2000's. With it, we found national security superseded all rights. Those who committed the autocracies won on that day when we willingly gave up a lot of what we have and continue to fight for.

The only thing scarier than Snowden's revelations to me was the silence that followed. The short attention span of my countrymen terrifies me.

But this, this is good. I'll remember this and change my tone when it comes to talking about the possibility some wrongs will be made right in regards to how we conduct ourselves against our own citizens. This isn't to say I have blind trust now, but even if this is pandering, Snowden deserves to have a real life. He risked his very comfortable life to whistleblow in the truest sense of the term. He (allegedly) exhausted channels to expose law breaking by those in power, and when left with no other option disclosed this to the public. He along with Greenwald and Scahill went through great lengths to verify what was released in a manner as tactfully and responsibly as they could with the time they had.

All of that is my opinion. I understand some people vehemently disagree with me, and from the perspective of being raised in this country and sympathizing with what is instilled in all of us, much of the time with good intention. We disagree on where we go from here. I think we at least have to start by admitting we have something deeply wrong with much of our system. And depending on the context, many people will say that. Whether or not we are authoritarian now is up for debate, and I'll admit that. But I don't think it's arguable that the framework is certainly there for the wrong person at the right time. We need to squash that.

Liberals don't believe President Trump says anything factual.

They will not take this Edward Snowden statement seriously either.

Just sayin...

originally posted by: carewemust
Liberals don't believe President Trump says anything factual.

They will not take this Edward Snowden statement seriously either.

Just sayin...

Looks like one of our resident members who is typically critical of Trump took the opportunity to share this topic with us first (to my knowledge).

Now, I wouldn't be surprised if many pundits throw a negative spin on this... We all remember how they took Bolton into their good graces once it aligned with their interests.

But OP reminded me not to speak in absolutes. I rather enjoy nuance and am glad to see it these days as it's hard to come by. Though, I found it's more prevalent when I don't seek out my own biases. I after all am certainly human and guilty of that at times.

We shall see this to the end.

When you need votes, why not.

His base will take it.

Doing something good for your benefit is hardly anything

All the Snowden haters now suddenly never really hated him..

originally posted by: odzeandennz
When you need votes, why not.

His base will take it.

Doing something good for your benefit is hardly anything

All the Snowden haters now suddenly never really hated him..

He did something I never had the guts to do.

Reveal to the American people how much control the IntelCom have over actual politics and the average American.

If you think past your TDS perhaps you would realize that as an American citizen Snowden did a good thing for you personally.

Pardoning him would be a good first step towards taking that control back from the IntelCom and back to American citizens.

Oh who am I kidding.

You will gladly wear the chains and lick the boot when your owners tell you to.

originally posted by: odzeandennz
When you need votes, why not.

His base will take it.

Doing something good for your benefit is hardly anything

I'd say a good portion of the right supported the book being thrown at Snowden. I wouldn't get into whether establishment right or left wanted a harsher punishment for him seeing as we saw presidents from both parties speak with some harsh sentiment for him.

Hopefully most American will be for this no matter which president did this (should it materialize). Snowden gave us a new lens in which we see everything whether we are conscious of it or not. We all know the lengths those in power can and will go through to further an agenda. Maybe some are OK with that, but anyone who keeps up with things knows of it.

I'll take this even if it is pandering. At least the conversation will be started again. I'll also humor that it may not be isolated.

originally posted by: CriticalStinker

originally posted by: odzeandennz
When you need votes, why not.

His base will take it.

Doing something good for your benefit is hardly anything

.......

I'll take this even if it is pandering. At least the conversation will be started again. I'll also humor that it may not be isolated.

Of course you will. That’s the whole point. He’s pandering to his base. Using his official powers as POTUS to help his re-election.

originally posted by: odzeandennz
When you need votes, why not.

His base will take it.

Doing something good for your benefit is hardly anything

All the Snowden haters now suddenly never really hated him..

Ever the cynic...

Personally, I never hated Snowden. I've always considered him a patriot to the citizens of the USA.

Maybe Trump is considering this for personal gain but what do you propose?

Keep him in exile because Orange Man Bad?

a reply to: Southern Guardian

Next the AG needs to investigate the Seth Rich murder by DNC operatives.

originally posted by: 1947boomer

originally posted by: CriticalStinker

originally posted by: odzeandennz
When you need votes, why not.

His base will take it.

Doing something good for your benefit is hardly anything

.......

I'll take this even if it is pandering. At least the conversation will be started again. I'll also humor that it may not be isolated.

Of course you will. That’s the whole point. He’s pandering to his base. Using his official powers as POTUS to help his re-election.

Maybe that's his intention.... But do you really think this act alone would shift the scales in his favor? If things were super close, do we rewind back to this moment and say it's what got him his win?

Also, if we say Snowden is just being used as a pawn, do we oppose it? Because that would be using him as a pawn all the same, off an assumption.

It's messy, always is, always will be. I'll take this one though, and that's increasingly rare of me in regards to politics, not just recently either... I'm a consistent skeptic.

originally posted by: 1947boomer

originally posted by: CriticalStinker

originally posted by: odzeandennz
When you need votes, why not.

His base will take it.

Doing something good for your benefit is hardly anything

.......

I'll take this even if it is pandering. At least the conversation will be started again. I'll also humor that it may not be isolated.

Of course you will. That’s the whole point. He’s pandering to his base. Using his official powers as POTUS to help his re-election.

And Snowden should suffer because it might aid Trump's reelection?

What a selfish point of view.

a reply to: Southern Guardian

U.S. authorities for years have wanted Snowden returned to the United States to face a criminal trial on espionage charges brought in 2013.

When I read this I have a hard time accepting that it says U.S.
Feels like I should be reading " Russian authorities" not U.S.

Trumps had 4 years to look at the issue of Snowden. Now close to the elections he's considering a pardon....

Hahahaha....

a reply to: LABTECH767

Snowdon may have done a lot of wrong though, but his motives may indeed have been right, the question the president has to ask himself is if Snowdon harmed the US or it's allies, if so then a pardon should be put on the back burner BUT if he did not harm and instead just harmed a faction within the US whom were abusing there position then not only a pardon but a medal should be considered.

I agree with you on this. While we all appreciate Snowden revealing U.S. government secrets to us, I'm not sure how wise it was for Snowden to flee to Hong Kong and show China documents listing Chinese networks that we had been hacking into at the time.