Trump's Unprecedented Pardon Spree Raises Alarm Bells
Former prosecutors and legal scholars across the United States have expressed profound concern over Donald Trump's extensive use of presidential pardons since returning to the White House. What critics describe as an unprecedented pardoning spree has primarily benefited political allies, business associates, and those who could yield political and financial advantages to the Trump administration.
The controversy began immediately after Trump's inauguration, when he granted clemency to approximately 1,500 Maga allies involved in the January 6 Capitol attack. This set the tone for what legal experts now characterise as a systematic corruption of the pardon process.
Key Pardons That Sparked Outrage
Among the most controversial clemency decisions was the commutation of George Santos's seven-year sentence. The expelled House member had pleaded guilty in 2024 to 13 counts including fraud and identity theft, yet served only a few months before receiving Trump's intervention.
Equally contentious was the pardon of Changpeng Zhao, the billionaire founder of cryptocurrency exchange Binance. Zhao had pleaded guilty in 2023 to breaking anti-money-laundering laws and served a four-month sentence. The pardon raised eyebrows given Binance's $2 billion investment deal with World Liberty Financial, a Trump family crypto firm expected to generate tens of millions annually for the Trump family.
In a revealing 60 Minutes interview, Trump claimed ignorance about Zhao, stating: "I don't know who he is. I know he got a four-month sentence or something like that. And I heard it was a Biden witch-hunt." Following his pardon, Zhao pledged on social media to help make America "the Capital of Crypto," aligning perfectly with Trump's deregulatory cryptocurrency agenda.
The Pardon Attorney Controversy
The situation intensified in May when Trump appointed Ed Martin, a prominent Maga loyalist, as pardon attorney at the justice department. Martin replaced veteran attorney Liz Oyer, who was dismissed after resisting clemency for a Trump ally.
Martin's partisan credentials were well-established. The day before January 6, he addressed a DC rally of Trump supporters, declaring: "Thank you for standing for our president. But remember, what they're stealing is not just an election. It's our future."
Upon assuming his role, Martin posted on social media: "No Maga left behind" - a statement that former federal prosecutor Barbara McQuade described as "a deeply disturbing violation of DOJ policy to avoid partisan politics."
Martin has since granted pre-emptive pardons to over 70 Maga allies, including former lawyer Rudy Giuliani and ex-chief of staff Mark Meadows, though none currently face federal charges.
Legal Experts Decry 'Authoritarian Tactics'
Philip Lacovara, who served as counsel to the Watergate special prosecutor, condemned the corruption of the pardon process as "one of the less visible but nevertheless important aspects of Trump's sullying of the Justice Department." He described the Santos commutation as "bewildering," noting the congressman "never exhibited any remorse for his chain of frauds."
David Pozen, a Columbia University law professor, characterised Trump's approach as "a classic authoritarian tactic that undermines the rule of law." He warned that such abuses could ultimately damage support for the pardon power itself, which serves vital functions when "employed in a principled fashion."
Former justice department inspector general Michael Bromwich was even more direct, stating: "The pardon process as a method for granting executive grace for deserving criminal defendants has been replaced by a pay-to-play system that is a thinly disguised form of bribery."
Congressman Jamie Raskin revealed that a judiciary committee report in June found Trump's pardons have made criminals $1.3 billion richer by allowing them to keep money stolen from victims and dodge fines. Raskin told the Guardian: "Donald Trump has plunged the pardon power into complete corruption, using it to reward his political sycophants and underling servants, his giant campaign donors, his business associates and his partners in fraud."
As Martin's office reportedly ignores approximately 15,000 pending clemency applications from ordinary Americans while focusing on Maga priorities, legal experts warn that the foundational principles of American justice face unprecedented threat from within.
