‘Tiger King’ Joe Exotic appeals to Trump for pardon: ‘Make this right’

Joseph Maldonado, better known as the “Tiger King,” is once again pleading with President Donald Trump for a pardon.

On Wednesday, the Netflix star took to X to declare that the “United States Government wants me to die in prison” after being denied an appeal for a new trial. He is seeking a pardon from Trump amid objections to how his case has been handled.

Look:

I lost my appeal for a new trial today. The United States Government wants me to die in prison even though they know their witnesses were lying under Oath. In fact, their witnesses all admitted to perjury on world television on season 2 of Tiger King.
The appeal was denied based… pic.twitter.com/HcKu9Tfal2

— Joe Exotic (@joe_exotic) July 9, 2025

“I lost my appeal for a new trial today. The United States Government wants me to die in prison even though they know their witnesses were lying under Oath. In fact, their witnesses all admitted to perjury on world television on season 2 of Tiger King. The appeal was denied based on the public defenders I was forced to use because the government kept me in solitary with no bond, did not cross examine properly, or raise enough objections,” he posted.

“So because they didn’t do their job and I was held against my will, I was not allowed to work and hire real attorneys or help find evidence. During my appeal, we have even uncovered evidence that the U.S. Attorneys in OKC withheld evidence proving it was innocent. There are so many material inaccuracies in the Judges opinion that my attorney Roger Roots will be filing for en banc review and taking it before the Supreme Court,” he continued.

“The Department of Justice has been proven to be weaponized against people for personal agendas, just as it was against President Trump. Vice President Kamala Harris took great pride on Twitter to brag she sponsored the Big Cat Safety Act and to go watch Tiger King, which that very bill was nicknamed. Carole Baskin became a millionaire from it, and PeTA obtained all of my Tigers, which are housed mostly at their funded roadside zoo in Colorado where they charge $50.00 per person to see them. I Joseph Maldonado aka Joe Exotic am calling upon President Trump to listen to the voice of Rep. Luren Boebert, Rep. Eric Bulision ,Alex Stien, Joe Rogan, and the millions of people around the world to make this right and allow me to go home. 8 years of my life I have lost. My parents have died, and I have nothing left to show for 55 years of hard work,” Maldonado wrote.