Trump Pardons Alaska Diesel Mechanics During Rally in Wasilla

<p>President Donald Trump announced pardons for two Alaska diesel mechanics during a rally on October 13, 2026, in Wasilla. He brought Zachary Czubak and Patrick Fleming, co-owners of an Anchorage diesel repair shop, onstage to sign clemency documents while discussing energy investments and infrastructure projects in Alaska.</p><p>Czubak and Fleming had pleaded guilty to conspiracy to violate the Clean Air Act in 2022. Trump stated, "I'm giving each one of the three an unconditional pardon," referring also to an earlier pardon for Mackenzie "Mac" Spurlock, another diesel shop owner from Wasilla.</p><p>The president defended the mechanics, asserting that their work was essential for maintaining trucks in Alaska's harsh climate and claiming that their prosecutions under the Biden administration were unjust.</p><p>According to the Biden Justice Department, Czubak and Fleming, along with a third co-owner of "Arm Rippin Toys," admitted to removing federally mandated emissions-control equipment and tampering with monitoring devices on at least 37 diesel vehicles from July 2019 to September 2020.</p><p>Federal prosecutors indicated that the shop earned approximately $100,000 for these modifications.</p><p>During the signing of the clemency documents, Trump criticized former President Joe Biden's use of an autopen, stating, "So I'm going to sign this now, something that Joe Biden would be unable to do because he was unable to sign his signature."</p><p>Trump expressed his appreciation for the presidential pardon power, saying, "What an honor. I love doing this stuff." One of the pardoned men thanked Trump from the stage, sharing how the prosecution had affected their lives, stating, "It really did destroy us. It destroyed friendships. It destroyed families."</p><p>The pardons were announced during a rally where Trump also discussed Alaska's energy future, including the approval of permits for an 800-mile natural gas pipeline. He told the audience, "Every single permit that you need, you can start tonight. Every single permit that you need has been granted."</p><p>Fox News Digital contacted the White House for more information regarding the project's federal permitting status.</p>