President Trump's Second Term: A Pardons Power Play, Favoring Friends and Allies Over Deserving Citizens
In a shocking pattern of clemency, President Donald Trump has used his pardoning power to reward allies and supporters, disregarding the traditional review process set out by the Department of Justice. While thousands of Americans with access to the president or his inner circle have benefited from Trump's mercy, those who followed the standard protocol are still waiting.
Over nine months into his second term, more than 10,000 people have filed petitions for pardons or commutations, a significant increase from the 14,867 applications submitted during President Biden's entire presidency. However, it appears that only a handful of these applicants have had their cases reviewed and recommended by career officials in the Office of the Pardon Attorney.
Trump's actions in his second term show that he has largely abandoned the traditional process of reviewing pardons, instead relying on a network of political allies and media figures who can reach him directly. This new approach to clemency has been criticized for undermining the integrity of the system and favoring those with connections to the president.
In contrast to Trump's actions, many deserving citizens are still waiting. Small-business owners with decades-old fraud cases, veterans seeking to regain their gun rights, and people working jobs far below their experience because of the stigma of a criminal record are among those who have been denied pardons or commutations.
Critics argue that Trump's use of clemency is unfair to those who followed the rules, as they have been left in limbo while his allies receive pardons. Margaret Love, a former pardon attorney under Presidents George H.W. Bush and Bill Clinton, said, "It's unfair to the little guy... I tell people, 'Sorry, you don't have a chance.'"
The practice of granting pardons outside the traditional review process has led to concerns about conflicts of interest and the politicization of justice. Many believe that Trump is using his clemency power as a tool to reward supporters and punish enemies, rather than providing meaningful relief to those who deserve it.
One notable example is George Santos, the disgraced former New York congressman, who received a commutation from Trump despite being convicted of defrauding donors and lying to Congress. Trump also granted pardons to Rudy Giuliani and other allies tied to efforts to overturn the 2020 election, sparking widespread criticism and calls for reform.
In contrast to these high-profile cases, many ordinary Americans are struggling to access the clemency process. Liliana Trafficante, a convicted felon from New York, filed her petition for a pardon on her own after being denied by the Biden administration in 2023. Despite Trump's initial enthusiasm for pardoning individuals with long prison sentences, his team has failed to act on many cases.
Tony Gene Broxton, a former fire department bookkeeper from Florida, applied for a pardon during Trump's first term but was finally denied by the Biden administration. He remains hopeful that Trump will grant him clemency in his second term, but is growing increasingly frustrated with the lack of progress.
The use of clemency as a tool of political power has sparked heated debate and calls for reform. While some argue that pardons should be reserved for those who have served their time and demonstrated good conduct, others believe that the system should prioritize fairness and equality.
As the controversy surrounding Trump's pardoning power continues to unfold, one thing is clear: the traditional review process set out by the Department of Justice has broken down, and the consequences are being felt by ordinary Americans.
In a shocking pattern of clemency, President Donald Trump has used his pardoning power to reward allies and supporters, disregarding the traditional review process set out by the Department of Justice. While thousands of Americans with access to the president or his inner circle have benefited from Trump's mercy, those who followed the standard protocol are still waiting.
Over nine months into his second term, more than 10,000 people have filed petitions for pardons or commutations, a significant increase from the 14,867 applications submitted during President Biden's entire presidency. However, it appears that only a handful of these applicants have had their cases reviewed and recommended by career officials in the Office of the Pardon Attorney.
Trump's actions in his second term show that he has largely abandoned the traditional process of reviewing pardons, instead relying on a network of political allies and media figures who can reach him directly. This new approach to clemency has been criticized for undermining the integrity of the system and favoring those with connections to the president.
In contrast to Trump's actions, many deserving citizens are still waiting. Small-business owners with decades-old fraud cases, veterans seeking to regain their gun rights, and people working jobs far below their experience because of the stigma of a criminal record are among those who have been denied pardons or commutations.
Critics argue that Trump's use of clemency is unfair to those who followed the rules, as they have been left in limbo while his allies receive pardons. Margaret Love, a former pardon attorney under Presidents George H.W. Bush and Bill Clinton, said, "It's unfair to the little guy... I tell people, 'Sorry, you don't have a chance.'"
The practice of granting pardons outside the traditional review process has led to concerns about conflicts of interest and the politicization of justice. Many believe that Trump is using his clemency power as a tool to reward supporters and punish enemies, rather than providing meaningful relief to those who deserve it.
One notable example is George Santos, the disgraced former New York congressman, who received a commutation from Trump despite being convicted of defrauding donors and lying to Congress. Trump also granted pardons to Rudy Giuliani and other allies tied to efforts to overturn the 2020 election, sparking widespread criticism and calls for reform.
In contrast to these high-profile cases, many ordinary Americans are struggling to access the clemency process. Liliana Trafficante, a convicted felon from New York, filed her petition for a pardon on her own after being denied by the Biden administration in 2023. Despite Trump's initial enthusiasm for pardoning individuals with long prison sentences, his team has failed to act on many cases.
Tony Gene Broxton, a former fire department bookkeeper from Florida, applied for a pardon during Trump's first term but was finally denied by the Biden administration. He remains hopeful that Trump will grant him clemency in his second term, but is growing increasingly frustrated with the lack of progress.
The use of clemency as a tool of political power has sparked heated debate and calls for reform. While some argue that pardons should be reserved for those who have served their time and demonstrated good conduct, others believe that the system should prioritize fairness and equality.
As the controversy surrounding Trump's pardoning power continues to unfold, one thing is clear: the traditional review process set out by the Department of Justice has broken down, and the consequences are being felt by ordinary Americans.
. He's basically making it up as he goes along, bypassing the whole review process and just granting pardons to whoever he likes. It's so unfair to those who actually followed the rules and are still waiting their turn.
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but what about all those others who followed the rules? it's not right that some people get pardons while others are still waiting in line 
and what's with the whole "we're gonna review these cases" thing if nobody's actually doing it 
meanwhile, folks like george santos get commutations for being total crooks 
it just doesn't add up.
. Meanwhile, all these regular folks with legit cases are stuck in limbo, and no one seems to be helping them out 
.
. Like, he gives a pardon to George Santos, who basically lied about everything to get elected, but then he's all like "oh, I'm so sorry you guys" 
. And now we're left with a system that's basically rigged in his favor 
. Like, what's the point of even having a pardon process if it's just gonna be all about who you know? 
, while giving it to his buddies and allies 
. It's like a whole different game now, not about fairness or justice, but more about who you know and how much you can curry favor with the president 
. But no, Trump is more interested in rewarding his pals like George Santos and Rudy Giuliani 
.
. It's not fair to them that he's just granting pardons to whoever can get his attention or has a good connection 
. The whole thing just feels like a big ol' farce 
. I don't think it's right that people like George Santos, who have committed serious crimes, are getting special treatment 
. And what about the little guy who's struggling to make ends meet and can't even get their case reviewed? It's just not right 
doesn't seem right.
The whole pardoning process should be made more transparent and accountable, so we can actually trust that people are getting the justice they deserve, not just handouts to those who have connections to the president. 
.
. George Santos? Rudy Giuliani? Those guys should be in prison, not walking free because Trump owes them a favor 
. and meanwhile, little guy liliana trafficante from NY has been waiting for years 
. can't even get justice right 
"]
a big storm 
that's blowing away the integrity of the system 
can just give pardons like they're candy 
out of thin air 
to their friends and allies 
for everyone 
it's all about connections 
and favors 
, not about justice 
and Tony Gene Broxton 
who are just trying to start fresh 
but can't because of their past mistakes 
never-ending cycle 
We need reform 
to fix this broken system