Trump wants to pardon Muhammad Ali, whose conviction was overturned almost 50 years ago

(Image credit: Harry Benson/Express/Hulton Archive/Getty Images)

published 8 June 2018

Muhammad Ali may be next on President Trump's ever-growing pardon list, but Ali doesn't need the forgiveness.

Before leaving for the G7 summit, Trump told reporters he's thinking about posthumously pardoning the legendary boxer who refused the Vietnam War draft. He's also considering "thousands of names" for potential pardons, per NBC News.

But Ali's draft evasion conviction has already been forgiven — twice. The Supreme Court unanimously overturned his conviction back in 1971, and former President Jimmy Carter pardoned every Vietnam War draft dodger in 1977.

Ali died in 2016, so his attorney quickly acknowledged Trump's comments.

Thanks, but no thanks.

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Kathryn is a graduate of Syracuse University, with degrees in magazine journalism and information technology, along with hours to earn another degree after working at SU's independent paper The Daily Orange. She's currently recovering from a horse addiction while living in New York City, and likes to share her extremely dry sense of humor on Twitter.