Washington, DC — President Donald Trump has granted clemency to at least 85 public officials charged with or convicted of corruption-related crimes across his two presidential terms, with Republicans and prominent Trump supporters receiving most of the relief, according to a Reuters investigation.
Reuters identified 36 elected Republicans and 19 Republican political appointees among the recipients. Another nine had campaigned for Trump or publicly supported his MAGA agenda. Only four were known Democrats.
Collectively, the clemency actions spared recipients more than 130 years of imprisonment and over $15 million in fines, restitution and other financial penalties. Nearly three-quarters avoided prison, left custody early, escaped sentencing or regained rights restricted by their convictions.
Among those pardoned was former Nevada official Michele Fiore, convicted of diverting charitable donations intended for a slain police officer’s memorial toward personal expenses. Trump also pardoned Democratic Rep. Henry Cuellar.
The Constitution gives presidents broad clemency authority, and the White House says Trump has used it to correct what it describes as politically motivated prosecutions.
Former prosecutors interviewed by Reuters expressed concern that repeated pardons in corruption cases could weaken deterrence and accountability for public officials.
Reuters also found that the administration has reduced federal anti-corruption enforcement resources while issuing the clemency grants.
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