The pardon of Trevor Milton, founder of Nikola Motors, raises new questions about accountability, trust, and investor confidence in the hydrogen trucking and cleantech sectors.

US President Donald Trump has pardoned Trevor Milton, the founder of the bankrupt electric and hydrogen truck manufacturer Nikola, who was convicted of fraud.

In 2023, Milton was found guilty of lying to investors about Nikola’s technology and sentenced to four years in prison.

“Today I was issued a full and unconditional pardon by Donald Trump himself,” Milton said in an Instagram post. “He called me personally to tell me.”

Speaking to reporters, Trump confirmed the pardon, saying it was recommended by “many people.”

Milton’s conviction followed a damning Hindenburg Research report questioning his past business dealings and the technology behind Nikola’s hydrogen trucks.

A key accusation was that a promotional video released in 2018 for the hydrogen-powered Nikola One concept truck, which showed the semi-truck cruising along a road at high speed, was an elaborate ruse.

Hindenburg claimed that Nikola had towed the truck to the top of a hill on a remote stretch of road and filmed it rolling down the mountain. Nikola was forced to admit that the car was indeed ‘in motion’ through such means while countering that it never directly stated the truck was using its powertrain.

Milton consistently denied the allegations.

In an Instagram video, Milton declared himself to be “free.”

Last month, Nikola filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy after its funding efforts failed.

When darkness descended: Three weeks that rocked Nikola Corporation

It is easy to fall from grace, especially in the public eye. The hard part is earning respect and maintaining it. That’s the challenge facing Nikola Corporation, particularly since the departure of its founder and former Chairman, Trevor Milton.

The Arizona-based company has experienced a meteoric rise to the forefront of the heavy-duty trucking sector and, more importantly, the clean-fueled heavy-duty trucking movement. From a basement-based start-up, it has emerged as one of the most talked-about vehicle manufacturers of the moment, with a clear objective to remove commercial trucks from the carbon equation.

However, it endured a tumultuous three weeks since a high-profile ‘research report’ made a series of extensive allegations against it in a savage attack on September 10, 2020, many of which claimed that it had no working prototypes…

Please continue reading this story » GO.

Clean Technology Needs Clean Leadership — Trust Is the Foundation of Innovation

The Trevor Milton pardon highlights the importance of transparency and credibility in the cleantech sector. As hydrogen and electric mobility solutions scale globally, stakeholders must choose partners with proven technologies and ethical business models.

Why Klean Industries Is a Trusted Leader in Clean Tech:

✅ Over 20 years delivering real, operational, zero-emissions solutions
✅ Fully traceable supply chains via KleanLoop™ blockchain
✅ Hydrogen infrastructure powered by pyrolysis & waste recovery
✅ Strategic partnerships with Nikola Corporation, Enapter, Plug Power & more

Connect with Klean Industries to work with a team that delivers proven technologies and trusted results in the hydrogen economy » GO.