Former President Donald Trump had a surprise interaction with Alice Johnson, whom he pardoned when in office, while speaking at a faith event in Georgia on Monday.
Florida televangelist Paula White, who was moderating a conversation with Trump on stage at the Inaugural National Faith Summit in Powder Springs, Georgia, mentioned that Johnson was in the audience.
“Is Alice Johnson here?” Trump said.
“She’s here. Alice where are you?” White said.
Johnson, who was sitting a few rows back from the stage, stood up in her seat and waved.
“Alice! I love Alice. Oh wow, hi. Is it going well?” Trump asked.
“It’s going great,” Johnson said.
“She’s a great woman. You know, she, should I tell just a second of your story?” Trump said.
Trump said, “She had already served — is it 22 or 23 years, Alice? Or something, right? 23, I mean think of it. She had like 28 years left and first I gave her a commute and then I gave her a full pardon.”
More context: In 2018, Trump granted Johnson, a first-time nonviolent drug offender, a commutation, a week after Kim Kardashian pleaded her case for Johnson’s release during an Oval Office meeting with Trump. Johnson had already served 21 years of a life sentence after she was convicted on charges of conspiracy to possess cocaine and attempted possession of cocaine. In 2020, Trump granted Johnson a full pardon.
