President Trump weighs in on Kohberger plea deal, days before sentencing

Alex Brizee, Idaho Statesman on Jul 21, 2025

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BOISE, Idaho — President Donald Trump on Monday, days before Bryan Kohberger is scheduled to be sentenced, weighed in on the plea deal that allowed the 30-year-old to avoid the death penalty for killing four University of Idaho students in their Moscow home.

“These were vicious murders, with so many questions left unanswered,” Trump posted on Truth Social, the social media platform he owns. “While life imprisonment is tough, it’s certainly better than receiving the death penalty but, before sentencing, I hope the judge makes Kohberger, at a minimum, explain why he did these horrible murders.”

Trump’s urging of the judge isn’t possible. While Kohberger could provide a statement at his upcoming sentencing, defendants aren’t required to do so. Under state and federal law, the defendant can’t be forced to speak and has the right to remain silent. His all-day sentencing is scheduled for 9 a.m. at the Ada County Courthouse.

Kohberger, a graduate student at Washington State University at the time of the homicides, was arrested in December 2022 and recently pleaded guilty to four counts of first-degree murder in the fatal stabbings of the University of Idaho students following 2 1/2 years of the criminal case that was expected to go to trial next month. The victims were seniors Kaylee Goncalves and Madison Mogen, both 21; junior Xana Kernodle, 20; and freshman Ethan Chapin, 20.

The three women lived with two other female roommates who weren’t harmed in the attack. Chapin was Kernodle’s boyfriend and stayed over for the night. Kohberger was studying criminology at WSU in Pullman, Washington across the Idaho state line, where the stabbings took place in an off-campus house.

In exchange for the guilty pleas, prosecutors agreed to remove the death penalty as an option, and Kohberger is expected to be sentenced to four consecutive life sentences. The victims’ families were evenly split on the agreement, with two of the families opposed to canceling the trial.

Most outspoken were Goncalves’ parents, who urged supporters to call the judge, the U.S. Department of Justice and Gov. Brad Little’s office to force Kohberger’s capital murder trial to proceed, in pursuit of a possible death sentence.

“This ain’t justice. No judge presided, no jury weighed the truth,” the family posted on its family-run Facebook page.

Fourth Judicial District Judge Steven Hippler, who presides in Ada County, during Kohberger’s change-of-plea hearing said the calls to contact him were “highly inappropriate.” He said the judge can only reject a plea deal if the defendant doesn’t admit to all of the elements of the crime of his own free will.

“There are no explanations, there is no NOTHING,” Trump wrote. “People were shocked that he was able to plea bargain, but the judge should make him explain what happened.”

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