How many felons did President Trump pardon?
Asked by: Leanne Pfannerstill IV | Last update: February 20, 2026Score: 4.6/5 (48 votes)
List of people granted executive clemency in the second Trump presidency. In his role as the 47th president of the United States (January 20, 2025 – present), Donald Trump granted executive clemency to more than 1,600 individuals as of July 23, 2025, all of whom were charged or convicted of federal criminal offenses.
How many pardons has Trump given in his first term?
Number of pardons
Since 1921, only two Presidents granted clemency on fewer occasions than Trump. In Trump's first term, he granted clemency 237 times, compared with about 78 by George H. W. Bush and about 200 by George W. Bush.
Did Trump pardon Rudy Giuliani?
In April 2024, he was indicted on charges related to the 2020 election in Arizona. He was later disbarred in the state of New York in July, and in the District of Columbia in September. In November 2025, Trump pardoned Giuliani.
Did Trump pardon Charles Kushner?
Yes, Donald Trump pardoned Charles Kushner (father of Jared Kushner) in December 2020, at the end of his first term, for his 2005 conviction on charges including tax evasion, making illegal campaign donations, and witness tampering related to a scheme involving his brother-in-law.
Are you still a convicted felon if you get a presidential pardon?
When the president grants a pardon, it erases any punishment and guilt of the pardoned person. It also restores the civil rights of the pardoned. However, a pardon does not remove an offense from a person's criminal record. Instead, the offense and pardon will appear on the person's record.
President Trump pardons list of 77 people, including political allies
What president did not pardon anyone?
The two U.S. presidents who never granted a pardon were William Henry Harrison, due to his death just a month into office, and James A. Garfield, who was assassinated early in his term, leaving neither president enough time to issue any.
How many presidential pardons are allowed?
A U.S. President can issue an unlimited number of federal pardons, with no cap on the total, though this power has constitutional limits like not applying to impeachment cases or state crimes, and must be for offenses against the U.S. Presidents have used this power extensively, with figures like Franklin D. Roosevelt issuing thousands and recent presidents granting hundreds or over a thousand, demonstrating the vast scope of this authority.
What black lady did Trump pardon?
The "Black lady Trump pardon" refers to Alice Marie Johnson, a nonviolent drug offender who served over 21 years of a life sentence before President Trump commuted her sentence in 2018 and granted her a full pardon in 2020, later appointing her as his "pardon czar" to recommend others for clemency. Her case gained significant attention after advocacy from Kim Kardashian and Kanye West, and her subsequent role involved helping Trump identify others for clemency, including rappers and other criminal justice reform cases.
Why did Obama give so many pardons?
President Obama pardoned and commuted many sentences, particularly near the end of his term, to address the harsh, outdated sentencing laws, especially for nonviolent drug offenses, aiming for a fairer, smarter criminal justice system, and to provide second chances to rehabilitated individuals, using clemency as a tool while urging Congress for broader reforms. His actions aimed to correct disparities, reduce prison overcrowding, and encourage states to follow suit with reforms.
How many pardons did Bill Clinton give?
President Bill Clinton granted pardons or commutations to 459 people during his two terms, with a significant number, around 140, issued in a controversial batch on his final day in office in January 2001, bringing his total to a higher number than recent predecessors.
Do pardons affect gun rights?
In general, there are two basic options to have your gun rights restored after a conviction. They include having your felony case reduced to a misdemeanor and receiving a pardon from the Governor of California.
How many pardons did Barack Obama hand out?
Of the acts of clemency, 1,715 were commutations (including 504 life sentences) and 212 were pardons. Most individuals granted executive clemency by Obama had been convicted on drug charges, and had received lengthy and sometimes mandatory sentences at the height of the war on drugs.
Can a President pardon a state crime?
Under the Constitution, the President has the authority to grant pardon for federal offenses, including those obtained in the United States District Courts, the Superior Court of the District of Columbia, and military courts-martial. The President cannot pardon a state criminal offense.
Did Biden pardon his brother?
Pardon by Joe Biden
On January 20, 2025, President Joe Biden issued a pardon for James, along with their other siblings and their spouses.
Can anyone overturn a presidential pardon?
The pardon power is considered "plenary" and thus generally cannot be restricted or modified by Congress or the judiciary.
What happens if a pardon is refused?
"A pardon is a deed, to the validity of which delivery is essential, and delivery is not complete without acceptance. It may then be rejected by the person to whom it is tendered, and if it be rejected, we have discovered no power in a court to force it on him."
Which President was pardoned for all offenses?
President Gerald Ford granted "a full, free, and absolute pardon unto Richard Nixon for all offenses against the United States which he, Richard Nixon, has committed or may have committed or taken part in" during his presidency.
Has anyone ever turned down a presidential pardon?
Yes, people have refused presidential pardons, though it's rare, with historical examples including George Burdick (Woodrow Wilson) and George Wilson (Andrew Jackson), and more recently, January 6th defendants like Pamela Hemphill and Jason Riddle, who rejected pardons from President Trump, feeling they were not victims and didn't want to rewrite history or contribute to false narratives. Refusal is a constitutional right, established by Supreme Court rulings, allowing individuals to decline clemency if they choose not to accept conditions or admit guilt, as a pardon is considered a "deed" requiring acceptance.
Can a US president pardon himself?
O.L.C. Supp. 370, 370 (1974) (opining during the Nixon Administration that a President may not pardon himself based on the fundamental rule that no one may be a judge in his own case ).
Why did Trump pardon Desiree Perez?
She received a sentence of five years probation, but was later charged with violating her parole. The violation led to nine months in prison in 1999. In 2021, then-president Donald Trump pardoned Perez of the charges, citing her efforts to "turn her life around." Following the pardon, Perez expressed her gratitude.
Does a pardon erase the crime?
A pardon has many benefits, but it does not erase your criminal history. Potential employers will still see the conviction when performing a background check, and the criminal record will appear in all publicly accessible databases.
Which Democrat governor was pardoned by Trump?
In June 2011, Blagojevich was convicted in a federal criminal trial for his role in the corruption scandal, and was sentenced to 14 years in federal prison. President Donald Trump formally commuted his sentence in 2020, after Blagojevich had been imprisoned for nearly eight years, and fully pardoned him in 2025.