Trump Pardoned Nikola Founder Trevor Milton—Here’s Why It Matters for Hydrogen Aviation

In 2018, a company called Nikola released a flashy video showing what looked like a revolutionary hydrogen-powered semi-truck cruising through the desert. The company’s founder, Trevor Milton, claimed it was fully functional and ready to change the future of transportation. But that wasn’t true. The truck didn’t work at all—it didn’t even have a working hydrogen fuel cell system or electric drivetrain. They towed it to the top of a hill and filmed it quietly rolling down, pretending it was driving under its own power.

According to the U.S. Department of Justice,

“to film these clips, the Nikola One was towed to the top of a hill, at which point the ‘driver’ released the brakes, and the truck rolled down the hill until being brought to a stop in front of the stop sign” (DOJ, 2023).

This lie helped boost Nikola’s stock and attract investors. Eventually, Trevor was caught and convicted of fraud for lying about the company’s technology. But in 2025, President Donald Trump gave him a full pardon. Less than a month before the election, Milton and his wife donated more than $1.8 million to a Trump re-election campaign fund (AP News, 2025). And while Trevor was the face of the scam, there’s no way he pulled it off alone.

Trump Pardoned Nikola Founder Trevor Milton—But Milton Didn’t Pull Off the Hydrogen Scam Alone

Trevor Milton was the public face of Nikola, but he wasn’t an engineer. He had no background in hydrogen, fuel cells, or vehicle design. Yet he made bold technical claims—like saying the Nikola One had a fully functional hydrogen-electric powertrain when it didn’t. That kind of lie doesn’t happen in a vacuum. Milton had people around him—executives, engineers, and advisors—who knew the truth. Some may have stayed quiet. Others might have helped shape the story. Either way, pulling off a fake hydrogen truck takes more than just charisma.

He was convicted in 2023 on multiple counts of fraud for lying to investors, including through tweets, interviews, and public presentations. The Department of Justice said he “brazenly misled investors” and that his false claims were “repeated and substantial” (DOJ, 2023). But none of that stopped the pardon in 2025, which wiped away his conviction entirely.

Aviation Can’t Afford to Repeat the Nikola Pattern

What’s most troubling is that some of the same figures who were involved—quietly or directly—during the Nikola scandal are now resurfacing in hydrogen aviation. They’ve rebranded, moved into new companies, and taken up leadership roles in shaping the next wave of hydrogen-powered transportation. This shift hasn’t raised many eyebrows yet—but it should.

The aviation sector has too much at stake to be guided by people with a track record of overpromising and underdelivering. Hydrogen aviation can’t survive a scandal of that magnitude. It’s already operating in the shadow of the Hindenburg and the skepticism that came with it. Trust is hard-won in this industry—and almost impossible to get back once it’s gone.

How the Nikola Scandal Still Haunts Hydrogen—and Aviation Could be Next

The hydrogen industry has made real progress since the Nikola scandal, but Trevor Milton’s pardon threatens to unravel that. For people outside the sector—investors, policymakers, and the public—stories like this leave a lasting impression. If the most famous “hydrogen company” of its time was built on lies, and its founder walks away scot-free, people start to question whether any hydrogen technology is real.

That skepticism is even more dangerous in aviation. This industry is built on safety, trust, and certification. Hydrogen aviation doesn’t get a blank slate—it starts with the baggage of the Hindenburg disaster from nearly 90 years ago.

Hydrogen aviation can’t afford to be the next cautionary tale. The stakes are too high—and the public has already, quite literally, been burned by hydrogen in the sky (Hindenburg). Would the world give this sector another chance if the wrong people are allowed to lead?

The Pardon’s Impact on Hydrogen Policy and Public Trust

In March 2025, President Trump granted Milton a full and unconditional pardon. It came just weeks after Nikola filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy. The company was gone, the technology had failed, investors were burned—but the founder walked free. Prosecutors warned the pardon could wipe out “hundreds of millions of dollars in restitution” owed to those investors (AP News, 2025).

Trevor Milton celebrated his pardon on X and the backlash was swift and merciless. “You’re still guilty though, and always will be,” one user wrote. Another posted, “That’s a long way of saying one convicted felon / conman gave another convicted felon / conman $2M as a bribe for a pardon.” One user added, “You should go to jail for bribery.” And in perhaps the most biting response: “Are you driving a Nikola? Oh wait…”

Even X itself added a context warning to Milton’s post, reminding users that a pardon does not mean innocence—and that Milton was, in fact, convicted by a jury.

Milton painted himself as a victim. He framed his pardon as a stand against government overreach, saying it was “about every American who has been railroaded by the government.” But the facts—and the public—tell a different story. And for hydrogen aviation, that story is a warning.

References

1. U.S. Department of Justice. (2023). Trevor Milton Sentenced To Four Years In Prison For Securities Fraud Scheme.https://www.justice.gov/usao-sdny/pr/trevor-milton-sentenced-four-years-prison-securities-fraud-scheme

2. Hindenburg Research. (2020). Nikola: How to Parlay an Ocean of Lies Into a Partnership With the Largest Auto OEM in America.https://hindenburgresearch.com/nikola/

3. Associated Press. (2025). Trump Pardons Trevor Milton, Founder of Nikola, Convicted of Fraud.https://apnews.com/article/3fcebb0a3820cecb205656f2dc3f6764

4. H2 View. (2025). Democratic States Face Potential Hydrogen Hub Funding Axe from Trump’s DOE: Reports.https://www.h2-view.com/story/democratic-states-face-potential-hydrogen-hub-funding-axe-from-trumps-doe-reports/2123578.article

5. Trevor Milton’s X Post (March 27, 2025).https://x.com/nikolatrevor/status/ (Note: Exact link may vary based on post ID)

Q&A: Understanding the Trevor Milton & Nikola Scandal

1. Who is Trevor Milton?

   1. He’s the founder of Nikola Corporation, a company that claimed to be developing hydrogen-powered trucks.

2. What did Nikola claim to build?

   1. A hydrogen-electric semi-truck called the Nikola One.

3. Was the Nikola One real?

   1. No. The truck shown in their 2018 promo video didn’t have a working powertrain.

4. What did the video show?

   1. A truck that appeared to be driving—when in reality, it was rolling downhill with no power.

5. Why was this misleading?

   1. Investors were led to believe the technology worked, which boosted the company’s value.

6. What was Trevor Milton convicted of?

   1. Securities and wire fraud for lying to investors about the company’s tech and progress.

7. Who investigated the fraud?

   1. The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) and the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).

8. When was he convicted?

   1. He was convicted in 2023 and sentenced to four years in prison.

9. Did Trevor Milton serve his sentence?

   1. No. In March 2025, he was granted a full pardon by President Trump.

10. Did Milton donate to Trump?

    1. Yes. He and his wife donated over $1.8 million to Trump’s 2024 campaign shortly before the election.

11. Why is that controversial?

    1. The timing of the donation and the pardon raised concerns about political favoritism.

12. Did Milton admit guilt?

    1. No. Milton has publicly claimed innocence.

13. How did the public react to the pardon?

    1. Harshly. Many users on X (formerly Twitter) called it a “bribe” and a stain on justice.

14. What happened to Nikola?

    1. The company filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in early 2025.

15. Why does this matter for hydrogen?

    1. It damaged public trust in hydrogen as a viable clean technology.

16. What is hydrogen aviation?

    1. The use of hydrogen fuel cells to power aircraft instead of fossil fuels.

17. How is this scandal connected to aviation?

    1. Some individuals tied to Nikola have since become active in hydrogen aviation efforts.

18. Why is that a concern?

    1. Aviation has strict safety standards—another scam could ruin the industry’s future.

19. What is the Hindenburg?

    1. A hydrogen airship that exploded in 1937, shaping public fear of hydrogen in aviation.

20. What’s the takeaway?

    1. Hydrogen aviation must be led by credible, ethical leaders to avoid repeating history.