Former President Donald Trump has reportedly expressed intentions to grant widespread pardons to his close associates at the conclusion of his second term. These assurances have allegedly been made informally over the past year.
According to a report by the Wall Street Journal, Trump jokingly stated during a recent gathering, “I’ll pardon everyone who has come within 200 feet of the Oval [Office],” which elicited laughter from attendees. Another source mentioned that he had previously used a similar remark, but with a reduced distance of 10 feet. Additionally, there are claims that Trump is considering holding a press conference at the end of his term to announce these mass pardons.
In light of these reports, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt commented, “The Wall Street Journal should learn to take a joke. However, the president’s pardon power is absolute.”
Since the beginning of his second term, Trump has granted clemency to over 1,800 individuals. On his first day back in office, he issued unconditional pardons to 1,500 participants involved in the January 6, 2021, Capitol riot, which included those charged with assault or resisting law enforcement during the event.
Recently, a federal prosecutor appointed by Trump sought to oppose a request from an individual accused of placing two pipe bombs near the headquarters of the Republican and Democratic national committees the evening before the Capitol riot. The individual argued that their charges should be dismissed due to Trump’s extensive pardons related to the riot, claiming that their case is “inextricably and demonstrably tethered” to these events. The judge overseeing the case has yet to respond to this request.
Many of Trump’s clemency actions have been framed as a challenge to the judicial system, particularly following his defeat by Joe Biden in the 2020 election. The Biden administration has pursued various legal actions against Trump, including allegations of attempting to overturn the 2020 election results.
In October, Trump pardoned Changpeng Zhao, the founder of Binance, who had received a four-month prison sentence after admitting to failing to maintain an anti-money laundering program. Earlier this year, Binance facilitated a $2 billion transaction with an Emirati investment fund, which was processed through World Liberty Financial, a cryptocurrency venture associated with Trump’s family. This transaction reportedly bolstered the family’s digital currency’s legitimacy.
The White House characterized Zhao’s prosecution as a part of the Biden administration’s “war on cryptocurrency.”
Trump also granted clemency to former Congressman George Santos, who had pleaded guilty to wire fraud and identity theft. The president commuted Santos’s seven-year sentence, allowing for his release after just three months of incarceration. “He lied like hell,” Trump remarked at the time. “But he was 100% for Trump.”
