President Donald Trump has once again wielded his pardon power with gusto, sparking both admiration and scrutiny as he reshapes the clemency landscape.
NBC News reported that from mass pardons for January 6 defendants to high-profile commutations like George Santos, Trump’s second term has seen a flurry of clemency actions, paused briefly due to concerns over profiteering, only to resume with tightened oversight under chief of staff Susie Wiles.
Right out of the gate in his second term, Trump made waves by pardoning roughly 1,500 individuals charged in the January 6, 2021, Capitol attack.
By the end of May, he had issued 73 additional clemency actions, ranging from allies to lesser-known figures, showing a commitment to using this presidential privilege with frequency.
But then, the well of mercy ran dry—temporarily, at least—as a pause hit after May, driven by whispers of outsiders trying to cash in on the process.
Reports of lobbyists and consultants dangling access to Trump’s pardon pen for fees as high as $5 million, or even $30 million in the case of Roger Ver, raised eyebrows and prompted White House action.
Top officials, including Wiles, grew wary of influence peddling, with one senior White House voice noting, “Chief of staff Wiles does not mess around, especially when it comes to outsiders wrongly tossing around proximity to the president to gain fortune and favor.”
That’s a refreshing stance in a town where influence is often just another currency, though it’s worth asking if the system can ever truly be free of such gamesmanship.
The pause wasn’t just about profiteering; a packed presidential agenda with pressing domestic and foreign priorities also played a role in slowing the pardon pipeline.
Wiles stepped in to overhaul the process, ensuring it’s distanced from those trying to broker deals, while White House Counsel David Warrington and “pardon czar” Alice Johnson now rigorously vet requests.
This month, the clemency train rolled back into action, with Trump commuting the sentence of former Rep. George Santos, a move that stunned even some close allies.
Santos, who pleaded guilty to wire fraud and identity theft, walked free after mere months, though critics like Rep. Andrew Garbarino, R-N.Y., argue justice was shortchanged for his victims.
Trump also pardoned Changpeng Zhao, the Binance founder tied to money laundering charges, a decision White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt framed as ending “the Biden Administration’s war on crypto.”
While some cheer this as a blow to overreaching regulation, others question if connections to Trump family crypto ventures influenced the call— optics matter, even if the intent is pure.
Looking ahead, more clemency actions are on the horizon, with names like Pras Michel potentially in line, as Wiles now controls the timing and Trump reviews candidates with Warrington’s input.
Trump’s track record already includes notable figures like Rod Blagojevich and Devon Archer, often allies or well-connected folks, which fuels debate over fairness in a process historically criticized across administrations.
Yet, let’s not pretend this is new—past presidents, including Joe Biden with his family pardons, have faced similar flak for favoring insiders over the countless unheard petitions gathering dust.
For now, Trump’s team insists they’re taking this duty seriously, balancing a desire to right perceived wrongs with a process that’s been tightened to avoid exploitation, even if skepticism lingers about who truly gets the golden ticket.