President Donald Trump's recent wave of pardons and clemencies has sparked widespread criticism, as many argue that the power is being abused in favor of his allies and supporters. While some may say it's an anomaly, others claim that Trump has fundamentally changed the way the US uses this power.
In just over nine months back in office, more than 10,000 people have filed for pardons or commutations - a staggering number that dwarfs the total number submitted during President Biden's entire term. However, many of these applicants don't stand a chance; the Department of Justice has largely abandoned its traditional review process, and Trump is now granting pardons to those who never entered the system in the first place.
Experts say this trend began in Trump's first term, when fewer than half of his clemency recipients had applied through the Office of the Pardon Attorney. The current breakdown is even more stark: only 10 out of nearly 1,600 people granted pardons have filed petitions with the Department of Justice. Many of those who did apply don't meet the Justice Department's standards and requirements.
The recipients of Trump's clemencies are often high-profile figures or individuals with connections to the president. This includes allies like Rudy Giuliani and other supporters tied to efforts to overturn the 2020 election, as well as felons convicted of financial wrongdoing, much like Trump himself.
Despite these critics, the Biden administration has largely been unresponsive to questions about why many recent pardons appear to have come outside the traditional review process. The Department of Justice stated that it is committed to timely and carefully reviewing all applications and making recommendations to the President.
The White House Press Secretary attributed Trump's actions to his desire to address perceived injustices in the Biden-era DOJ. However, critics argue that many recipients of these pardons face ongoing or possible state prosecutions, which undermines their efforts to reform the system.
One recent report found that over $1.3 billion in restitution and fines owed to victims and to the public has been wiped out by Trump's clemency actions. The White House disputed this finding as "pointless."
Critics point to the lack of transparency and accountability in the pardoning process, with many recipients not meeting the Justice Department's standards or requirements. One lawyer said that those without connections often rely on a direct line to the Office of the White House Counsel rather than going through the traditional review process.
The situation has led some to call for reform, with experts arguing that clemency should be restored to its original purpose - giving hope to those who don't have the resources or fame to navigate the current system.
In just over nine months back in office, more than 10,000 people have filed for pardons or commutations - a staggering number that dwarfs the total number submitted during President Biden's entire term. However, many of these applicants don't stand a chance; the Department of Justice has largely abandoned its traditional review process, and Trump is now granting pardons to those who never entered the system in the first place.
Experts say this trend began in Trump's first term, when fewer than half of his clemency recipients had applied through the Office of the Pardon Attorney. The current breakdown is even more stark: only 10 out of nearly 1,600 people granted pardons have filed petitions with the Department of Justice. Many of those who did apply don't meet the Justice Department's standards and requirements.
The recipients of Trump's clemencies are often high-profile figures or individuals with connections to the president. This includes allies like Rudy Giuliani and other supporters tied to efforts to overturn the 2020 election, as well as felons convicted of financial wrongdoing, much like Trump himself.
Despite these critics, the Biden administration has largely been unresponsive to questions about why many recent pardons appear to have come outside the traditional review process. The Department of Justice stated that it is committed to timely and carefully reviewing all applications and making recommendations to the President.
The White House Press Secretary attributed Trump's actions to his desire to address perceived injustices in the Biden-era DOJ. However, critics argue that many recipients of these pardons face ongoing or possible state prosecutions, which undermines their efforts to reform the system.
One recent report found that over $1.3 billion in restitution and fines owed to victims and to the public has been wiped out by Trump's clemency actions. The White House disputed this finding as "pointless."
Critics point to the lack of transparency and accountability in the pardoning process, with many recipients not meeting the Justice Department's standards or requirements. One lawyer said that those without connections often rely on a direct line to the Office of the White House Counsel rather than going through the traditional review process.
The situation has led some to call for reform, with experts arguing that clemency should be restored to its original purpose - giving hope to those who don't have the resources or fame to navigate the current system.
And it's not even like they're going through a fair process, you know? Trump is basically doing whatever he wants with the power. I mean, what happened to accountability? It's all about his buddies and allies getting clemency, while others are left out in the cold. And don't even get me started on that $1.3 billion restitution... like, who does that?! It's just not right, you know? The whole thing feels so fishy 
. We need to make sure the pardoning process is fair and transparent, not just a way for Trump to reward his pals. 
10,000 people applying for clemencies is wild, but how many of them are even gonna get one? and why does it seem like most of the ones that do get pardons don't even go through the normal process 
so I think what's really weird about Trump's pardons is that they're not even following the traditional process anymore 
it's like he just makes these decisions and then expects everyone else to deal with it afterwards 
meanwhile, we got a whole lot of high-profile people getting clemency for doing shady stuff 
and I think the fact that Biden isn't saying anything about it is super fishy 
.
Trump's pardoning spree is like a giant game of "Connect-the-Dots" – just connect him to his buddies and voilà! 
. And what really gets my goat is that the Biden admin seems more concerned with not rocking the boat than actually holding Trump accountable for this mess.
. And by the way, that $1.3 billion in restitution? Yeah, let's not forget about that 
. It's time for some real change, not just more of the same old Trump-style cronyism 
.
. clemency should be about giving hope & second chances, not just a way for trump to reward his pals 
.
. If you don't have connections or fame, good luck trying to navigate the clemency process 
. It's like Trump and his allies are playing a rigged game that only benefits them, while everyone else gets left behind 
. Clemency should be about giving people a second chance, not just rewarding those with connections or influence