Minnesota authorities are preparing for potential civil unrest as rumors swirl that President Donald Trump may pardon former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin, convicted in the 2020 murder of George Floyd.

Gov. Tim Walz, the Minnesota National Guard, Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey, and Hennepin County Sheriff Dawanna Witt have reportedly been briefed on contingency plans with the fifth anniversary of Floyd’s death on May 25 approaching.

Chauvin, 49, was convicted in April 2021 of second-degree unintentional, third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter in a Minnesota state court for kneeling on Floyd's neck for nearly 39 minutes.

He was sentenced on June 25, 2021, to 22.5 years in state prison.

In December 2021, Chauvin pleaded guilty to federal charges of violating Floyd’s civil rights and those of a 14-year-old in a 2017 incident, receiving a concurrent 21-year federal sentence on July 7, 2022.

He entered Minnesota’s Oak Park Heights prison in April 2021, was transferred to a federal facility in Tucson, Arizona, in August 2022, and moved to FCI Big Spring, Texas, in August 2024 after being stabbed 22 times by inmate John Turscak in November 2023.

A presidential pardon could only apply to Chauvin’s federal sentence, leaving his state sentence intact.

"If Donald Trump exercises his constitutional right to do so, whether I agree — and I strongly disagree with him — if he issues that pardon we will simply transfer Derek Chauvin to serve out his 22-and-a-half years in prison in Minnesota," Walz said, noting no White House indication of a pardon but stressing preparedness.

He added, "With this presidency, it seems like that might be something they would do."

Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison, who led Chauvin’s state prosecution, doubled down on Walz's insistence that Chauvin would remain locked up for decades regardless of a pardon. "The only conceivable purpose would be to express yet more disrespect for George Floyd and more disrespect for the rule of law." he continued.

"Derek Chauvin murdered George Floyd in front of the whole world. Trump has no power to pardon Chauvin’s state conviction. None," Ellison told MSNBC. "A pardon of Chauvin’s federal conviction would return him to Minnesota to serve the rest of his sentence in state prison."

"The only conceivable purpose would be to express yet more disrespect for George Floyd and more disrespect for the rule of law." he continued. "He still owes Minnesota 22-and-a-half years. And, he’s going to do it either in Minnesota or somewhere, but he’s not getting out."

Minneapolis Community Safety Commissioner Toddrick Barnette added, “We’ve heard the same rumors as everyone else – but the bottom line is that Derek Chauvin would remain behind bars serving his state sentence even if his federal charges are pardoned."

"To be clear, we have no credible intelligence about any pardon or planned disruptions here in Minneapolis."

The Minnesota Department of Corrections and the Minnesota Police and Peace Officers Association also reported no evidence supporting pardon rumors.

But the Minnesota Department of Corrections is ready to retrieve Chauvin from federal custody and return him to Oak Park Heights if pardoned federally.

Chauvin's projected state release is December 10, 2035, with supervised release until 2043; his federal release is November 18, 2037.

Floyd’s death, ruled a homicide by the Hennepin County Medical Examiner, sparked global Black Lives Matter protests.

The examiner noted fentanyl and methamphetamine in Floyd’s system but concluded the cause of death was cardiopulmonary arrest due to Chauvin’s actions. Chauvin’s appeals to the Minnesota and U.S. Supreme Courts were denied in 2023.

President Trump, who pardoned over 1,500 January 6 rioters in January 2025, has not signaled intent to pardon Chauvin.

In March, he said, “No, I haven’t even heard about it. I haven’t heard that.”

However, many believe Chauvin was practicing typical police protocols during his interaction with Floyd, in which he died.

"I strongly support Derek Chauvin being pardoned and released from prison. George Floyd died of a drug overdose," Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene wrote last week on X.

DOGE chief Elon Musk along with conservative commentators Ben Shapiro, and Charlie Kirk have fueled speculation.

Some, like Jack Posobiec, argue a pardon could aid Chauvin’s state appeal, citing unpresented evidence like Floyd’s heart condition.

Others, including Billy Binion, note it could harm Chauvin by returning him to a riskier state prison.

City leaders plan to condemn any pardon, with Minneapolis having revamped emergency protocols since 2020.

As tensions loom, officials urge calm, emphasizing Chauvin’s continued incarceration regardless of federal action.