While serving a 20-year sentence at Federal Medical Center in Fort Worth, Texas, the star of the hit Netflix tv series “Tiger King” spoke with this Gateway Pundit reporter about the need for reforming our criminal justice system, Trump’s historic landslide victory in 2024, the California wildfires and more.
Joseph Maldonado, aka “Joe Exotic”, was infamously convicted of multiple federal charges in 2019, ranging from allegedly hiring hitmen and violations of the Endangered Species and Lacey Act, being sentenced to 21-years in federal prison.
However, following the popularity of the first season of Tiger King, many Americans in the legal community and beyond have questioned the validity of witness statements made against Exotic, especially the ones that helped seal his convictions.
“I have been put here only because of the corruption in the Department of Justice, three felons that were told how to lie under oath to further this agenda, two corrupt Assistant U.S. Attorneys, two corrupt FBI Agents and one corrupt Federal Wildlife Agent,” said Exotic in a statement to the media a few years ago.
This led to an unsuccessful attempt at seeking a presidential pardon from President Trump in 2020, even though Donald Trump Jr. openly admitted that Exotic’s sentence “seemed harsh” and that his father was fascinated by the case.
Fast forward four years, and top Trump ally and former Congressman Matt Gaetz stated that he “would pardon” Exotic if he ran for President of the United States in 2028.
Come on @FmrRepMattGaetz
8 more days please make this happen.@derek https://t.co/3FDvMv90MV— Joe Exotic (@joe_exotic) January 13, 2025
“I would pardon him. That is the extent to the commitment I can make,” Gaetz said.
In recent weeks, the Tiger King star has promised to serve in the Trump administration if pardoned, appealed to newly minted Attorney General nominee Pam Bondi for a pardon, citing how he could help uncover vast human and sex trafficking networks within the exotic pet communities.
Speaking with this Gateway Pundit reporter last night from federal lockup, Exotic remains hopeful and strong in the New Year.
“I’ve got to stay positive and keep looking toward the future. Prison, of course, is not meant to be fun and dealing with cancer with everything else is tough.”
When asked about the conditions inside FMC Forth Worth, he told us that the place is falling apart, isn’t maintained, and is symptomatic of federal correctional facilities across the United States.
“We have some J6 guys in here and when they speak up about the conditions, they aren’t lying. This whole system could come crumbling down in two to three years if something doesn’t change,” he explained.
One of his main goals if pardoned by President Trump? Reforming the Bureau of Prisons and criminal justice system across the board.
“We have to look at how we’re charging people and sentencing them more carefully. There are lots of non-violent people in here on charges that became federal under RICO cases, where the FBI and DOJ abused the RICO laws.”
Exotic also explained his belief that political persecutions from the smallest to largest of cases infect the justice system because federal judges and prosecutors aren’t held accountable by the American people.
“Why don’t we change the laws so that judges and US Attorneys are elected by the people, not political appointees? These federal judges essentially get lifetime appointments, with no oversight or accountability. The sentence and treatment people could get from a Republican judge or Democrat judge might be different and that’s wrong.”
Asked about President Trump’s historic victory last November, Exotic cited how Trump swept the swing states, won the electoral college and popular vote, and did all of that despite the indictments and felony convictions.
“President Trump could have been a political prisoner like me and was certainly persecuted by a justice system with clear political motivations,” before imploring the President-elect to work with Congress to adjust the laws so that federal judges and prosecutors are elected positions.
EXCLUSIVE: TIGER KING @joe_exotic on @realDonaldTrump’s historic victory, why he’d like to testify before Congress, political persecutions happening in DOJ, why federal judges & US Attorneys should be elected positions. FULL STORY on @gatewaypundit tonight. Edit: @topherfranktv pic.twitter.com/nsYkUW8qd6
— Jacob Engels (@JacobEngels) January 13, 2025
And he’d even help Trump further expose the corruption in law enforcement, the justice Department, and Bureau of Prisons.
“First thing I’m doing if I get out is testifying before the United States Congress. I’d lead the Bureua of Prisons, I’d be his Fish and Wildlife Commissioner. There is so much fraud, terrible lobbyist driven legislation and waste.”
Exotic says he still writes former Congressman Matt Gaetz, something Gaetz confirmed recently. He also says he’s got backing for a pardon from Congressman Lauren Boebert and right-wing comedian and influencer Alex Stein.
Live with Elon Musk’s Clone Adrian Dittmann and the Tiger King Joe Exotic + Fires Threaten all of LA https://t.co/zcoNTpBZiP
— Alex Stein #99 (@alexstein99) January 8, 2025
Even Joe Rogan has called for a pardon of Joe Exotic.
The world wants me on your show but I don’t have video access.@joerogan yes sir. I can call you I just got out of solitary Confinement and I have a Twitter account. Please help me reach @realDonaldTrump pic.twitter.com/qgTSTLrng7
— Joe Exotic (@joe_exotic) January 2, 2025
“There’s a lot of people around President Trump who know what’s happened to me is wrong and that I deserve the true justice of a pardon. All he’s got to do is just listen. I can be so much more of a help to society with my freedom if I wasn’t stuck in here watching people drool on themselves and get high. I want to go back to helping the community and those who don’t have anyone or anything”, explained Exotic.
He’s keeping up on current events as well. The Tiger King star said that President Trump “was right” about the water reservoirs in California and that radical tree-huggers and climate people are to blame for the tragedy unfolding with the wildfires.
EXCLUSIVE: TIGER KING (@joe_exotic) on the California wildfires & why @realDonaldTrump was right all along. Told @gatewaypundit that California voters must change their voting patterns, otherwise they only have themselves to blame. EDIT: @topherfranktv #FreeJoeExotic pic.twitter.com/BH3plpgsqg
— Jacob Engels (@JacobEngels) January 13, 2025
“President Trump was right. All of that water diverted for a smelt that 99% don’t care about or know what the hell it even is? California votes those people in, and if they are sick of it, then they need to change who they vote into office.”
Exotic concluded the 15-minute phone call by thanking everyone who has supported his call for freedom and asked them to sign his petition and just “look at the evidence.”
You can learn more about Joe’s case at joeexoticofficial.com and can sign the petition by clicking here.
The post EXCLUSIVE: Tiger King’s Joe Exotic On Trump’s Victory, CA Wildfires, Reforming Justice System – “Trump Could Have Been a Political Prisoner Like Me” appeared first on The Gateway Pundit.