Full Breakdown
Trump Pardons Two Alaska Diesel Mechanics During Wasilla Rally
By Drooid · · How we work
Core Event
President Donald Trump used a mid-term campaign rally in Wasilla, Alaska, to grant unconditional pardons to Zachary Czubak and Patrick Fleming, co-owners of the Anchorage repair shop Arm Rippin Toys. The men had pleaded guilty in 2022 to conspiracy to violate the Clean Air Act for removing emissions-control equipment and tampering with monitoring devices on at least 37 diesel trucks between July 2019 and September 2020. Trump also announced a pardon for a third co-owner, Michael Hanzuk, who was not onstage.
Background & Context
Arm Rippin Toys collected roughly $100,000 for the illegal modifications, according to the Justice Department. Sentencing required Czubak and Fleming to pay $66,000 fines; Czubak received five years of probation and community service, while Fleming’s fine was the same amount. The case was part of a federal effort to enforce emissions-control provisions for heavy-duty diesel trucks in Alaska.
Data & Statistics
- Vehicles affected: at least 37 diesel trucks.
- Revenue from illegal service: ? $100,000.
- Fines imposed: $66,000 each.
- Probation: five years for Czubak.
Official Statements & Responses
Trump framed the pardons as correcting “unfair” prosecutions that he said targeted Alaskans who needed to keep trucks running in harsh weather. He suggested the convictions stemmed from a “right-to-repair” crackdown. The White House offered no comment beyond the rally remarks.
Mechanic Patrick Fleming thanked the president, saying the men “are not criminals” and “just want to help Alaskans.”
Verbatim Quotes
- “I'm giving each one of the three an unconditional pardon,” — Donald Trump
- “The concept is that if you allow people to fix the engine, they're going to take all of the environmental crap that makes it bad, makes it inefficient, makes it expensive, that they're going to undo that. And when you undo that, you therefore send fumes into the air,” — Donald Trump
- “This means the world to me. It’s everything,” — Patrick Fleming
Conflicting Reports & Gaps
Sources differ on Michael Hanzuk’s sentencing. One outlet says he received five years of probation and a $66,000 fine; another reports only a fine. Hanzuk did not appear onstage, and the timing of his pardon remains unclear. No Justice Department comment on the pardons was provided.
Impact & Political Significance
The pardons were delivered amid a push to energize Republican voters in Alaska ahead of the mid-term elections. By linking clemency to “right-to-repair” concerns, Trump portrayed federal environmental enforcement as hostile to Alaskan livelihoods, reinforcing his campaign narrative that prior federal policies disadvantaged working-class Americans. The event coincided with Trump’s promotion of infrastructure and energy projects aimed at supporting incumbent Republican candidates in the state.