'Tiger King' Joe Exotic requests pardon from President-elect Trump and potential cabinet role

Joe Exotic, the former zoo owner and star of Netflix’s Tiger King, has reached out to President-elect Donald Trump, requesting a pardon and offering to serve in Trump’s cabinet. In a letter obtained by RadarOnline, Exotic, whose legal name is Joe Maldonado-Passage, expressed his support for Trump while urging for his release from the Federal Medical Center in Fort Worth, Texas. "A lot of people went to bat for you in 2021 who have been living in hell ever since," he wrote, asking Trump to "pardon everyone sooner than later in January 2025."

Exotic, now 61, is currently serving a 21-year sentence for a murder-for-hire plot against Carole Baskin, along with multiple wildlife violations under the Endangered Species Act and the Lacey Act. His legal team recently filed an appeal for a retrial, claiming newly discovered evidence could have changed the trial's outcome. His attorney, Roger Roots, asserted that the original trial was "riddled with errors," suggesting that “had that evidence been known at the time, he would not have been convicted.”

On social media, Exotic also voiced his appeal, posting on X (formerly Twitter), “Trump you got to make my Pardon Happen in January,” while referencing a Daily Beast article on potential Trump pardons.

Exotic’s letter went beyond a request for clemency, suggesting he be appointed as Federal Fish and Wildlife Director. "It is time to bring some honesty to this department," Exotic wrote, accusing former director Dan Ashe of using his position for personal gain. He further alleged misuse of the Endangered Species Act for monopolistic purposes, rather than animal protection.

The letter follows Exotic’s recent engagement to fellow inmate Jorge Marquez, announced on X, where he shared a picture and called Marquez “so amazing.”