Pthe general population treated their powers of pardon as a shameful secret, closely held among only a few trusted aides and quietly exercised in the last days of the reign. Some have signed waivers hours before boarding Marine One for their final flight.
But not Donald Trump.
Since returning to the White House for his second term, Trump has used his power to issue pardons for divorce. He pardoned or commuted the sentences of nearly 1,600 people linked to the Jan. 6 Capitol riots on his first day back in office and has been publicly mulling early pardons for aides and associates. The White House is now discussing a possible presidential pardon announcement as the centerpiece of the nation’s half-century celebrations over the Fourth of July weekend, according to 14 people familiar with the talks. The idea has been described as “250 amnesties for 250 years,” a plan that would put one of the country’s most politically troubled constitutional powers at the forefront of the country’s birthday celebrations.
The president had not been presented with the proposal as of Friday, and the idea may not have reached his level, a White House official told us. Trump’s advisers are still divided over whether a public amnesty for the anniversary of America’s independence would be a good idea. One adviser said there had been polling that suggested a mass pardon could benefit the president, but no action was possible by Independence Day. The Wall Street Journal reported in May that 250 pardons were being considered.
Advocates of the plan say it would emphasize the president’s singular powers and reinforce the image he has long sought to promote: “Trump the benevolent,” as a White House insider recently described to us. At the same time, the prospect of a mass pardon has created an international frenzy of lobbying and business, where even the slightest proximity to the president can be lucrative.
Five current and former administration officials and nine private-sector lawyers, lobbyists, and other people with ties to Trump’s circle told us that the conflict between those seeking clemency for past crimes has been intense. One criminal defense attorney called it a “three-ring circus,” and a former administration official said it was “battery madness.” One lobbyist told us he’s started turning off his phone as “aggressive” requests from customers have increased in recent weeks. All spoke to us on condition of anonymity to discuss sensitive issues with high stakes in the future.
One former Trump ally who was brought in to help facilitate the pardon described the push to be included in the 250-odd chance to celebrate America’s independence as a stark contrast to Trump’s first term. “Everything is now open,” he told me, drawing a contrast to previous attempts to keep plans under wraps and disguise the appearance of selling access. For those hoping to get a presidential pardon or some other form of mercy, this man said, “the time is now.”
The White House did not respond in detail to the information in this story. “President Trump takes his full constitutional authority to issue pardons and commutations seriously,” White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt told us in a statement. “That’s why we have a rigorous vetting process involving the Department of Justice and the White House Counsel’s Office — a team of expert lawyers who carefully evaluate each application before it reaches the President’s desk, and he is the final decision maker.”
Alawyers and advocates he told us they had been flooded with requests to take on amnesty cases in recent weeks as word of the possibility of 250 amnesties being distributed; some companies have struggled to meet the demand. “In 30 years of practicing law, I’ve never seen anything like this,” another lawyer told us wearily. “I’m tired.”
The “250 for 250” amnesty effort has been supported in part by Alice Johnson, who became the nation’s first “amnesty queen” last February, along with Justice Department attorney Edward R. Martin Jr. and others in the presidential circle. (Martin was previously the interim US attorney for Washington, DC) Advocates say the idea is to connect the July 4 theme of freedom and correct what some see as overly punitive criminal convictions or “weaponizing” the justice system by Democratic presidential predecessors.
The president’s advisers differ on whether the July 4th mass pardon would help politically, because it would bolster support among the president’s allies, or hurt it amid low approval ratings and weaken support among Republicans in Congress. Last month, members of Trump’s party openly protested the DOJ’s plan to pay $1.776 billion to those who claim to be targeted by the government.
Those familiar with the pardon effort said that while there have been indications by White House and Justice Department officials of “movement” in pardon cases in recent days, it is unclear what the president would ultimately decide if the deal is presented to him. “The list is ready when he asks for it,” one lawyer who has been in contact with the White House told us.
Three people familiar with the pardon talks told us that among those being considered is Malaysian fugitive Low Taek Jho, also known as “Jho Low,” who is wanted for alleged involvement in an international financial fraud scheme that diverted billions of dollars, involving a company known as 1MDB. Pras Michel, of the Fugees music group, is also thought to be pardoned after being found guilty of conspiring with Jho Low and a Chinese government official to campaign to end the US criminal investigation into the scheme after the money was stolen. Another person under consideration is Nicole Daedone, co-founder of the “heart meditation” business OneTaste, who was sentenced to nine years in prison for her role in the forced labor conspiracy.
Juda S. Engelmayer, a spokesperson for OneTaste, told us that the company is aware of the “250 to 250” discussions but that “we know people are advocating for us” on behalf of Daedone. Engelmayer said the company has not received any communication from the White House or other official channels. David Tafuri, who is among the attorneys representing Michel in his post-conviction arguments and possible legal appeal, told us in an email that “we have never been involved in any issues related to the possibility of a pardon and have had zero discussions with anyone in the US Government about it.” (Representatives for Low did not respond to a request for comment.)
One lawyer familiar with recent amnesty efforts told us there have been discussions involving “very wealthy, well-placed individuals” from India, Greece, Turkey, and France who were told their cases were being considered. Those who had recently spoken to the White House about possible pardons said they were told that felons tried by Obama- or Biden-appointed judges were better considered for pardons, and that those tried by Trump-appointed judges may be less likely to get a pardon.
Two administration officials familiar with the “250 for 250” effort said the White House could also consider people who have been charged under a law that imposes strict mandatory sentences for those who possess weapons related to crimes of violence or drug trafficking.
In response to questions, a Justice Department spokesperson said, “Anyone is entitled to an apology and POTUS is the final judge.”
The established process for applying for pardons goes through the Justice Department’s Office of the Pardon Counsel, which is supposed to evaluate the case and prepare a list of recommendations for the president. But people involved in the process told us that it has largely been replaced by an informal network of White House referees. They are using their connections to advocate for amnesty, rather than a fee.
“It’s common knowledge in our practice that for $2 million, you can have immunity,” one prominent defense attorney told me. “Clients come to us and say, ‘I’ve been told I need to hire this particular person, and (then) I’m going to get a pardon.'” Liz Oyer, who was Justice Department Pardon Counsel under Biden and in the early months of Trump’s second term, told us that “Donald Trump has turned the pardon process into the Hunger Games.” Leavitt told us that “the President finds it abhorrent that anyone would try to profit from a pardon.”
We spoke to many people associated with the Trump administration who had been approached in recent weeks by lawyers seeking client amnesties as part of any Independence Day announcement. These people said they were told they would make millions if they used their connections to help facilitate the negotiations needed for a pardon—despite the fact that, in many cases, they have no prior legal experience or lobbying. Many said that $1 million to $2 million was the going rate, although they knew clients who offered many times that for more complex cases. Some of the lawyers who started the defense told us they weren’t ready to continue advising those seeking pardons in a way that could be seen as a possible conviction by the Justice Department in the future once Trump is no longer in office.
Some of the president’s allies have been pushing for a mass pardon for more than a year. They came close to making it last year before the planned announcement was abruptly halted, two former administration officials told us. One former administration official told us that while previous administrations considered pardons at the end of the president’s term, officials wanted it to be known that the Trump White House Counsel’s Office and Justice Department were “open for business” from the early days of the second term.
Among the president’s advisers, some share the president’s belief that he should use his pardon power more broadly to overhaul the Justice Department’s past “weapons.” They see his amnesty authority as a mechanism, in part, to fund support and key parts of his base as the midterms approach. Some advisers have warned that granting amnesty at this time could backfire politically. Republicans in Congress have also expressed concern about mass pardons, and say any move could complicate Acting General Todd Blanche’s already controversial confirmation process.
