Thank you for sharing your perspective—it’s clear this is an issue you feel strongly about. It’s true that the presidential pardon power, as outlined in the Constitution, is incredibly broad and has been a source of both debate and controversy over the years. Presidents from both parties have made clemency decisions that sparked intense public discussion, and your suggestion about limiting pardons for immediate family members is one that’s been raised before.
However, making such a change to presidential pardon powers would require a constitutional amendment. The pardon power is granted under Article II, Section 2 of the U.S. Constitution, and altering it would involve a lengthy and challenging process. It would need either a two-thirds majority in both the House and Senate, or a constitutional convention called by two-thirds of state legislatures, followed by ratification from three-fourths of the states.
Your concerns reflect a sentiment shared by many who feel the pardon power should have more limitations to prevent perceived abuses. While others might argue that the power is intentionally broad to allow for mercy and justice in exceptional cases, it’s certainly worth discussing how we balance those goals with ensuring public trust in the system.
During his first term (2017–2021), President Donald Trump granted clemency to 237 individuals, including pardons and commutations. Many of these actions were notable due to the recipients’ personal or political connections to Trump, as well as the nature of their offenses. Below is a list of some prominent individuals who received pardons, along with descriptions of their offenses:
1. Joe Arpaio (August 25, 2017): The former sheriff of Maricopa County, Arizona, was convicted of criminal contempt for defying a court order to stop racial profiling practices.
2. Dinesh D’Souza (May 31, 2018): A conservative commentator and filmmaker, D’Souza was convicted of making illegal campaign contributions.
3. Michael Behenna (May 6, 2019): A former U.S. Army lieutenant convicted of unpremeditated murder in the killing of an Iraqi prisoner.
4. Conrad Black (May 15, 2019): A former media mogul convicted of fraud and obstruction of justice.
5. Patrick Nolan (May 15, 2019): A former California state legislator convicted of racketeering.
6. Michael Tedesco (July 29, 2019): Convicted of drug trafficking and fraud.
7. Rod Blagojevich (February 18, 2020): The former governor of Illinois was convicted of corruption charges, including attempting to sell Barack Obama’s vacant Senate seat.
8. Bernard Kerik (February 18, 2020): The former New York City police commissioner was convicted of tax fraud and lying to officials.
9. Michael Milken (February 18, 2020): A financier known as the “junk bond king,” Milken was convicted of securities fraud.
10. Eddie DeBartolo Jr. (February 18, 2020): The former owner of the San Francisco 49ers pleaded guilty in a gambling fraud scandal.
11. Angela Stanton (February 18, 2020): Convicted of conspiracy to transport stolen vehicles.
12. David Safavian (February 18, 2020): A former government official convicted in connection with the Jack Abramoff lobbying scandal.
13. Paul Pogue (February 18, 2020): A construction company owner convicted of tax fraud.
14. Kristian Saucier (March 9, 2018): A former Navy sailor convicted of unauthorized retention of defense information.
15. Alice Marie Johnson (June 6, 2018): A first-time nonviolent drug offender who received a life sentence; her case gained widespread attention and advocacy.
16. Dwight and Steven Hammond (July 10, 2018): Ranchers convicted of arson on federal lands, whose sentences sparked the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge occupation.
17. Mathew Golsteyn (November 15, 2019): A former Army officer accused of murdering an unarmed Afghan man.
18. Clint Lorance (November 15, 2019): A former Army lieutenant convicted of second-degree murder for ordering his soldiers to fire on unarmed Afghan men.
19. Michael Flynn (November 25, 2020): Trump’s former National Security Advisor, who pleaded guilty to lying to the FBI about his contacts with the Russian ambassador.
20. George Papadopoulos (December 22, 2020): A former Trump campaign advisor who pleaded guilty to lying to the FBI about his contacts with individuals tied to Russia.
21. Alex van der Zwaan (December 22, 2020): A Dutch lawyer who pleaded guilty to lying to investigators in the Mueller probe.
22. Paul Manafort (December 23, 2020): Trump’s former campaign chairman, convicted of tax and bank fraud related to his work in Ukraine.
23. Roger Stone (December 23, 2020): A longtime Trump associate convicted of lying to Congress, witness tampering, and obstruction in the Russia investigation.
24. Charles Kushner (December 23, 2020): A real estate developer and father of Trump’s son-in-law, Jared Kushner, convicted of tax evasion, witness retaliation, and making false statements to the Federal Election Commission.
25. Stephen K. Bannon (January 19, 2021): Trump’s former chief strategist, charged with fraud related to a fundraising campaign for a border wall.
26. Lil Wayne (Dwayne Michael Carter Jr.) (January 19, 2021): The rapper pleaded guilty to possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.
27. Kodak Black (Bill K. Kapri) (January 19, 2021): The rapper was serving a sentence for falsifying information on federal forms to buy firearms.