Who Trump might pardon as president
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President-elect Trump speaks during an election night event at the West Palm Beach Convention Center in West Palm Beach, Florida, on Nov. 6, 2024. Photo: Jim Watson/AFP via Getty Images
President-elect Trump will again have the ability to pardon from the White House — one of the strongest powers of the presidency.
Why it matters: Trump, who is slated to be the first felon in the White House, likely won't be tried for his own role in Jan. 6, but he's vowed to pardon the hundreds charged for their involvement.
Context: The pardon power skirts federal and military judicial systems as well as Congress.
- The president can grant a pardon to anyone convicted of a federal crime in a U.S. District Court, the Superior Court of the D.C. or a military court-martial.
Between the lines: Trump won't have the power to pardon himself for his conviction in New York because the charges weren't federal.
- Presidents can't pardon people convicted of state crimes.
- His victory in the presidential race is expected to upend the three other criminal trials against him.
Jan. 6 rioters
On the campaign trail, Trump vowed to "free" and pardon Jan. 6 rioters as one of his first presidential acts.
- "If they're innocent I would pardon them," he said during a July interview. When ABC News' Rachel Scott pushed back and said that the rioters were convicted, he said, "Well, they were convicted by a very tough system."
By the numbers: More than 1,400 Jan. 6 defendants have been charged across nearly the whole country, per the Justice Department.
- As of August, more than 900 had their cases adjudicated and received sentences.
The latest: Some of the convicted rioters or their lawyers started to act upon Trump's win, the New York Times reported.
- One, Christopher Carnell, asked a federal judge to push back a hearing and said he expected to receive clemency from Trump.
- Former Proud Boys chairman Enrique Tarrio, who was sentenced to 22 years in prison, is likely to try a similar move.
- "We look forward to what the future holds, both in terms of the judicial process for our client and the broader political landscape under the new administration," Tarrio's lawyer Nayib Hassan said in a statement.
Eric Adams
New York City Mayor Eric Adams (D) said he hasn't been in contact with Trump, but they share a network of friends and allies, Politico reported.
- Adams was indicted on federal bribery and fraud charges in September.
What we're watching: Trump expressed sympathy toward Adams in October at the annual Al Smith dinner in New York: "We were persecuted, Eric. I was persecuted, and so are you, Eric."
- At a press conference on Wednesday, Adams pledged to work with Trump's administration while protecting the interests of New Yorkers, WNYC/Gothamist reported. He dodged questions about whether Trump's election could benefit him in court.
Hunter Biden
The intrigue: Trump said he would consider pardoning Hunter Biden, President Biden's son, during an October interview.
- "I wouldn't take it off the books," he told conservative radio show host Hugh Hewitt.
Catch up quick: The White House said as recently as Thursday that Biden would not pardon his son, who became the first child of a sitting president to be convicted of a crime when he was found guilty in June on federal gun charges.
A spokesperson for Trump did not respond to Axios' request for comment.
Trump's earlier pardons
Hours before the end of his first term, Trump pardoned 74 people and commuted the sentences of 70 others, including his loyalists.
- Steve Bannon, his former chief strategist, was the highest-profile name pardoned.
During his first year in office, Trump pardoned one person: ally and former Sheriff Joe Arpaio, of Maricopa County, Arizona. Arpaio was pardoned for criminal contempt charges for disobeying a 2011 court order.
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