Former Sheriff Joe Arpaio’s first thought after hearing that President Trump was pardoning him was: Is this fake news?

Arpaio's lawyer was informed that the pardon had gone through as he was driving to Arpaio's house for his wife's birthday, according to the Arizona Republic.

When the lawyer arrived and showed Arpaio an email copy of the pardon, he replied, “Is this a fake?”

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Arpaio was found guilty of criminal contempt in July for violating a judge’s order to stop racially profiling people that he suspected were in the country illegally.

Trump officially pardoned the controversial former sheriff of Maricopa County, Ariz., on Friday, dropping the news as Hurricane Harvey was making landfall in southeast Texas.

“Throughout his time as Sheriff, Arpaio continued his life’s work of protecting the public from the scourges of crime and illegal immigration,” the White House said in a statement stressing Arpaio's public service.

“Sheriff Joe Arpaio is now eighty-five years old, and after more than fifty years of admirable service to our Nation, he is a worthy candidate for a Presidential pardon," the statement added.

Trump had been hinting that he was going to pardon the sheriff, with the president even saying that Arpaio “can feel good” at a campaign rally in Phoenix last week.

"I won't do it tonight because I don't want to cause any controversy, all right?" Trump said at the rally. "But Sheriff Joe can feel good."