Joe Exotic says he won't give Donald Trump an immediate pardon if he's elected US President

Well, well, well. Would you look at that. The shoe could soon be on the other foot.

Joe Exotic has taken to social media to return his serve against Donald Trump if he lands the USA's top job at the next election.

The Tiger King star revealed he would pardon the former US President if push came to shove, but he would make him suffer first.

Exotic responded to fellow 2024 US Presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy on Twitter, who challenged everyone in the race to commit to pardoning Trump if they’re elected.

"I would pardon him but after he spent at least 30 days in the same solitary confinement (sic) as any of the rest of us so he knows just how bad it sucks to be innocent and stuck in this f**ked up system," Exotic tweeted.

"He didn't pardon me so he is not getting a pardon on day one out of me."

The former zoo owner added: "Equal justice is equal justice."

Oof.

Exotic, real name Joseph Allen Maldonado, announced in March he was running for president as a Democrat.

That's despite him being handed a 22-year prison sentence in January 2020 for two counts of murder-for-hire, eight counts of violating the Lacey Act for falsifying wildlife records, and nine counts of violating the Endangered Species Act.

Since being locked up, Exotic had been vocal about his confinement, and repeatedly asked then-President Trump for a pardon before he left office, which never came.

The two men, who both live in Florida when free, will be going head-to-head in the 2024 Presidential race.

But why would Trump need a pardon in the first place? He is a world leader after all.

Well, the 45th US President recently found himself in trouble with the law.

The 77-year-old faced a judge on June 13 to enter a not-guilty plea to the 37 criminal charges relating to the classified documents scandal.

If convicted, Trump could be sentenced to up to 400 years behind bars.

He also became the first US President to face a courtroom on federal charges.

We'll just have to wait until next year for the ultimate Florida Man showdown.

And, if the loser winds up behind bars with the winner free and living it large in Washington DC, then we're sure things will get interesting.

Topics: Donald Trump, Politics, News, US News

Rachel Lang