Tucker: Julian Assange's only crime was 'humiliating the powerful'
WikiLeaks founder hoping for last-minute presidential pardon; 'Tucker Carlson Tonight' host reacts
Pamela Anderson made a final appeal to President Trump Monday to show his commitment to free speech by granting a full pardon to WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange before he leaves office.
The "Baywatch" star, a longtime supporter of Assange, told "Tucker Carlson Tonight" that the pardon decision represents a "defining moment for the president."
Trump is expected to issue between 50 and 100 commutations and pardons before departing office this week. Despite an aggressive campaign to secure Assange's freedom, the jailed publisher is not expected to make the list, sources told Fox News.
"The entire world wants, or most want him to pardon Julian Assange," Anderson told host Tucker Carlson. "This is his time to shine and really make an impression on the world. If this goes to trial, that’s the end of the First Amendment."
PAMELA ANDERSON URGES TRUMP TO CONSIDER PARDON FOR ASSANGE
Anderson urged Trump to "do the right thing" and defend a "free speech hero."
"This is one of those moments in history, in his lifetime, where he can make the right decision," she told Carlson. "He would really gain a huge following and a huge sigh of relief and gratefulness from so many people on the planet."
Actress Pamela Anderson and editor of WikiLeaks Julian Assange pose for a portrait on March 12, 2017 in London, England. (David LaChapelle/Contour RA)
TRUMP TO ISSUE 50-100 PARDONS, COMMUTATIONS BEFORE TERM ENDS
Carlson devoted an earlier portion of his show to the story, urging Trump to "defend the Bill of Rights" and impart "a lasting historical effect" by pardoning the 49-year-old Assange, who is currently behind bars in London's notorious maximum-security Belmarsh prison.
Trump "can achieve a major victory for the principles that this country was founded on and make it a good place to live," Carlson said. "The first one of those is freedom of the press, freedom of speech. It doesn’t matter. It’s still true and we should pardon Julian Assange."
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Carlson also addressed reports that Trump is considering granting a pardon to rapper Lil Wayne, who was convicted of illegal possession of a firearm in 2019.
"Lil Wayne? Don’t degrade yourself," Carlson told Trump. "Don’t degrade your voters. Make a statement. Defend the Bill of Rights."
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