If you’ve been keeping an eye on the news lately, you know the White House pen has been moving fast. Like, record-breaking fast. Since January 20, 2025, the question of who has trump pardoned so far hasn't just been a legal curiosity—it’s been a daily headline.
We aren't talking about a few dozen cases at the end of a term anymore. It's a flood.
Honestly, the sheer volume is hard to wrap your head around. In just one year, the 47th president has issued over 1,700 acts of clemency. To put that in perspective, he’s already outpacing several of his predecessors combined in terms of full pardons. It’s not just about the numbers, though; it’s about who is getting the "get out of jail free" card. From high-profile political allies to reality TV stars and a massive group of protesters, the list is kind of a wild ride.
The January 6 Blanket Pardons
The biggest move happened almost the second the inauguration ended. On his first day back in office, Trump issued a sweeping, blanket pardon for individuals involved in the January 6 Capitol events.
This wasn't a case-by-case review. It was a massive net.
Approximately 1,500 people were cleared in one go. This included everyone from people charged with simple trespassing to those who were looking at much more serious felony charges. However, there was a slight distinction for the heavy hitters.
Seditious Conspiracy and Commutations
While many got full pardons (which basically wipes the record clean), leaders of groups like the Proud Boys and Oath Keepers received commutations. This means their sentences were cut short to "time served," allowing them to walk free, even if the conviction itself technically stayed on the books for a moment. Notable names here include:
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- Stewart Rhodes: The Oath Keepers founder who was serving 18 years.
- Enrique Tarrio: Former Proud Boys chairman.
- Ethan Nordean and Joseph Biggs: Key organizers within the Proud Boys.
It’s worth noting that this move wiped out an estimated $1.3 billion in fines and restitution that these defendants owed. That’s a lot of money that won't be going back into the system.
The "Alternate Electors" and the Inner Circle
By November 2025, the focus shifted toward the legal team and advisors who worked on the 2020 election challenges. Trump issued what he called "preemptive" or symbolic pardons to a group of 77 people.
Why symbolic? Because many of them hadn't actually been charged with federal crimes yet.
Basically, he was building a legal shield against any future Department of Justice (DOJ) moves. The roster reads like a "who’s who" of his 2020 campaign:
- Rudy Giuliani: The former mayor and Trump lawyer.
- Mark Meadows: Former White House Chief of Staff.
- Sidney Powell and Jenna Ellis: Key figures in the "Kraken" legal team.
- John Eastman: The law professor behind the elector strategy.
Celebs, Crypto, and Controversial Figures
Beyond the political stuff, there’s a whole category of pardons that feel like they’re straight out of a tabloid. If you watched reality TV in the 2010s, you probably recognize the names Todd and Julie Chrisley.
In May 2025, Trump pardoned the couple, who were serving time for bank fraud and tax evasion. He reportedly told their daughter, Savannah Chrisley, that they were "terrific people" who had been treated harshly. They were out of prison and back with their family within days.
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The Crypto Wave
The tech world got a shock when Trump turned his attention to the blockchain. He pardoned Changpeng Zhao (CZ), the founder of Binance, who had pleaded guilty to anti-money laundering violations.
But he didn't stop at individuals. In a historic first, he pardoned an entire corporation: HDR Global Trading Limited, the parent company of the BitMEX exchange. This was part of a broader wave that included the "BitMEX Bros" (Arthur Hayes, Benjamin Delo, and Samuel Reed) and even Ross Ulbricht, the creator of the Silk Road, whose life sentence had been a major cause for libertarian activists for years.
International Moves and Local Politicians
The pardon power even crossed borders. Trump pardoned former Honduran President Juan Orlando Hernández, who had been convicted in the U.S. on massive drug trafficking charges. This one caused a huge stir in international circles, especially when Honduras issued a new arrest warrant for him shortly after the U.S. released him.
Back on U.S. soil, a few other notable names made the list:
- George Santos: The former Congressman whose short-lived career was mired in fraud allegations.
- Wanda Vázquez Garced: The former Governor of Puerto Rico who was facing bribery charges.
- Tina Peters: The Colorado clerk convicted in connection with a voting machine security breach.
- Michael Grimm: The former New York Congressman who did time for tax fraud.
How the Process Changed
Usually, a pardon goes through a long, boring process at the DOJ's Office of the Pardon Attorney. Not this time. Trump sort of side-stepped the bureaucracy.
He actually fired the career head of that office, Liz Oyer, and replaced her with Ed Martin, a vocal supporter whose mantra was "No MAGA left behind." He also created a "Pardon Czar" role for Alice Marie Johnson, the woman whose own sentence Trump commuted in his first term after Kim Kardashian West intervened.
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This new "express lane" is why we’ve seen so many pardons so quickly. It’s less about legal petitions and more about direct access to the president or his inner circle.
What Most People Get Wrong
A common misconception is that a pardon makes you "innocent." It doesn't.
Legally, a pardon is an act of forgiveness, not a declaration that the crime never happened. Also, presidential pardons only apply to federal crimes. If someone like Rudy Giuliani or Mark Meadows faces charges in a state court—like Georgia or Arizona—a Trump pardon can't touch those cases.
Another weird detail? Some people who were pardoned for Jan 6 offenses have since been arrested for entirely different crimes. Reports from groups like CREW (Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington) suggest that dozens of pardoned individuals have already faced new charges ranging from DUI to more serious offenses.
What This Means for You
So, what’s the takeaway? The use of the pardon power in 2025 and 2026 has become a tool for "national reconciliation" (according to the administration) or a way to reward loyalty (according to critics).
If you are looking for specific names or want to see if a certain case has been addressed, here is the best way to stay updated:
- Check the DOJ's official clemency list: They are required to post "warrants of pardon" eventually, though the current administration's pace often gets ahead of the website updates.
- Watch for "Proclamations": Many of the 2025 pardons come as group proclamations rather than individual files.
- Verify the jurisdiction: Always check if the person was charged in Federal court or State court. If it's State, a pardon isn't coming from the White House.
The list of who has trump pardoned so far is still growing. With a "Pardon Czar" in place and a clear preference for bypassing traditional channels, we can likely expect many more names to be added before the term is up. Keep an eye on the Friday evening news drops—that's usually when the biggest names are released.