WASHINGTON, D.C. — A new report from the office of Rep. Ayanna Pressley, D-Mass., finds that 85% of individuals granted federal pardons or clemency by President Donald Trump this year are white, raising renewed debate over how the administration has used one of the presidency’s most powerful constitutional authorities.
According to the analysis, which examined all publicly reported federal clemency actions between Jan. 20 and Dec. 15, roughly 90% of those who received relief were defendants connected to the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol. Five percent of recipients were Latino, and 8% were Black. Pressley’s office contrasted those figures with the broader federal prison population, which is approximately 36% Hispanic, 34% Black, and 25% white.
The report, titled “Trump’s Clemency Gap,” argues that the president’s clemency decisions have largely bypassed people convicted of nonviolent drug offenses, despite tens of thousands remaining incarcerated for such crimes. Only nine clemency actions involved drug convictions, the report states. Pressley described the pattern as a missed opportunity to address systemic inequities in the criminal justice system.
The White House pushed back on the criticism, saying Trump has exercised his authority for a wide range of individuals and accusing Democrats of ignoring pardons issued by former President Joe Biden. Administration officials also disputed claims that Trump’s clemency record reflects racial bias.
The report further estimates that Trump’s clemency actions eliminated roughly $1.4 billion in restitution and fines, according to a previously released House Democratic memorandum. Pressley said the findings underscore the need for broader clemency reform focused on those disproportionately harmed by past sentencing policies.
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