Trump Denies Nearly 6,000 Clemency Requests After Granting Fewer Than 20 Pardons
Updated
Updated · The New York Times · Jul 21
Trump Denies Nearly 6,000 Clemency Requests After Granting Fewer Than 20 Pardons
2 articles · Updated · The New York Times · Jul 21
Summary
Nearly 6,000 clemency applications were rejected this month, with Justice Department lists showing more than 5,600 commutation denials and 300-plus pardon denials beginning July 10.
A July 14 letter from U.S. pardon attorney Ed Martin told federal prosecutors the rejections were being issued, but gave little explanation and did not say whether Trump personally reviewed the cases.
The denials undercut earlier signals that the White House might grant 250 clemency cases for the nation’s 250th anniversary; instead Trump issued fewer than 20 pardons on July 3.
Many rejected applicants had gone through the formal Justice Department process, while Trump has largely reserved clemency for allies, Jan. 6 defendants and people with well-connected advocates.
The move mirrors Biden’s late-term denial of nearly 6,000 pardons, but highlights Trump’s sharper break from the department’s usual vetting system for ordinary applicants.