Donald Trump is preparing for his second term in the Oval Office. Days after defeating Kamala Harris in the presidential elections, political observers in the US speculated that Trump would issue pardons for several controversial figures. From the January 6 rioters to prominent public figures, these potential pardons appear to be part of Trump’s strategy to shore up his political base and challenge what he views as a partisan legal system.
According to the U.S. Department of Justice, “The pardon power of the President is granted by Article II, Section 2, Clause 1 of the Constitution of the United States, which provides: ‘The President shall have power to grant reprieves and pardons for crimes ” United States, except in cases of impeachment.”
But pardons do not completely erase a criminal record. Even after pardon, individuals may face restrictions, such as being barred from voting in some states.
Forgive the rioters of January 6th
Trump has repeatedly expressed his intention to pardon those involved in the January 6 Capitol riot, though he has remained vague on specifics. “If they’re innocent, I’ll forgive them,” he commented in July. Campaign spokeswoman Carolyn Levitt told The Washington Post that pardons would be decided on a “case-by-case” basis, with some defendants already invoking Trump’s pardon promises in court since his election on November 5. .
hunter biden
Trump hinted at the possibility of pardoning Joe Biden’s son Hunter Biden, who is facing sentencing on federal tax and gun charges. “I’m not going to take it off the books, despite what they’ve done to me,” Trump told conservative radio host Hugh Hewitt in October.
Ross Ulbricht
Another person who could benefit from a potential pardon is Ross Ulbricht, founder of the Silk Road dark web marketplace, who has received vocal support from libertarians. Supporters of Ulbricht, who was sentenced to life in prison in 2015 for running the Silk Road marketplace on the dark web, expressed their hope on social media, saying in a tweet, “Ross is coming home in January. We are @realDonaldTrump We are very grateful for their pledge to #FreeRoss and for all those who have supported us.
Julian Assange
WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange may also get pardon. Trump expressed in May 2024 that he would “very seriously consider” granting pardon to Assange.
peter navarro
Trump has left the door open to a possible pardon for his former trade adviser, Peter Navarro, who was sentenced to four months in prison for contempt of Congress. Trump praised Navarro as a “great patriot” and claimed he was “very unfairly treated.”
Trump’s self-pardon and legal limits
As for the possibility of Trump pardoning himself, the issue remains unclear. While Trump has previously rejected the idea, telling NBC News last year that it was “very unlikely” that he would pardon himself because he “has done nothing wrong,” legal experts are skeptical of the idea. are divided on whether the Constitution allows such action. While Trump can avoid requiring a self-pardon for federal charges, state-level prosecutions, including in New York and Georgia, are outside his jurisdiction.
