Mexico president says he sought Assange pardon from Trump, renews asylum offer

FILE PHOTO: WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange makes a speech from the balcony of the Ecuadorian Embassy, in central London, Britain February 5, 2016. REUTERS/Peter Nicholls/File Photo

MEXICO CITY (Reuters) - Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador said he had sought a pardon for Julian Assange from former U.S. President Donald Trump before he left office last year and repeated his offer of asylum for the Wikileaks founder on Monday.

Last month, the Australian-born Assange moved closer to facing criminal charges https://www.reuters.com/world/us/united-states-wins-appeal-over-extradition-wikileaks-founder-assange-2021-12-10 in the United States for one of the biggest leaks of classified information after Washington won an appeal over his extradition in an English court.