Biden's pardons: How do they compare with Trump's and those of other presidents?

<p><p>This story has been updated with new information.</p><p>In his final hours in office, President Joe Biden issued <a href="/story/news/politics/elections/2025/01/20/biden-pardons-milley-fauci-cheney-schiff/76823846007/">blanket preemptive pardons</a> Monday to prominent government officials, the bipartisan January 6th committee, and <a href="/story/news/politics/elections/2025/01/20/president-joe-biden-pardons-brother-james/76860098007/">members of his own family</a>, which Biden said was necessary to prevent retribution from President-elect Donald Trump.</p><p>Biden's <a href="/story/news/nation/2025/01/20/what-are-preemptive-pardons-biden-issues-pardons-for-faucci-more/77835162007/">preemptive pardons</a>, which shield recipients from future prosecution, are an unprecedented move to protect some of Trump’s top foes from litigation, USA TODAY reported.</p><p>Biden issued pardons to:</p><ul><strong>Five family members</strong>, including brothers James and Francis, and a sister, Valerie<strong>Gen. Mark A. Milley</strong>, former chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff<strong>Dr. Anthony S. Fauci,</strong> former director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases<strong>January 6th committee</strong> members and support staff<strong>Police officers</strong> who testified before the committee</ul><img width="100%" /><p>The family members are brother James B. Biden; Sara Jones Biden, wife of James; Valerie Biden Owens, his sister; John T. Owens, husband of Valerie; and brother Francis W. Biden.</p><p>Biden <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/live/2024/12/01/us/hunter-biden-pardon-live">pardoned his son Hunter</a> on Dec. 1.</p><p>"My family has been subjected to unrelenting attacks and threats, motivated solely by a desire to hurt me – the worst kind of partisan politics. Unfortunately, I have no reason to believe these attacks will end," Biden said in a statement.</p><p>The nine committee members include seven Democrats and two Republicans, Liz Cheney of Wyoming and Adam Kinzinger of Illinois. The number of Jan. 6 committee staff was not immediately disclosed.</p><p>None of them have been charged with crimes, but they were believed to be among the targets as Trump promises "retribution" in his second term for his political enemies, USA TODAY reported.</p><p>Biden pardoned <a href="https://www.justice.gov/usao-edky/pr/two-sentenced-concealing-hundreds-thousands-dollars-corporate-contributions-us-senate">Gerald Lundergan</a>, convicted of unlawful campaign contributions, and <a href="https://archives.fbi.gov/archives/columbia/press-releases/2010/co042610.htm">Ernest Cromartie</a>, convicted of tax evasion.</p><p>He also commuted the life sentence of <a href="/story/news/politics/elections/2025/01/20/biden-commutes-leonard-peltier-life-sentence/76926060007/">Leonard Peltier,</a> Native American activist convicted of killing two FBI agents on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation in 1975. Peltier has maintained his innocence and the <a href="https://www.amnestyusa.org/campaigns/free-leonard-peltier/">fairness of his trial</a> has been disputed.</p><p>On Sunday, President Joe Biden <a href="/story/news/politics/2025/01/19/joe-biden-pardons-marcus-garvey/77825537007/">pardoned five people</a>, including the late civil rights leader Marcus Garvey, and commuted the sentences of two others, the White House said in a statement.</p><p>Biden, a one-term president, has granted clemency to nearly 4,180 people, the most of any president, including those with two terms.</p><p>While the total number of Biden's pardons was not immediately disclosed, he's issued at least 88 individual pardons to date. That's the fewest of any chief executive since George H.W. Bush, who issued 74 pardons during his single term in office.</p><p>The number of January 6th committee staffers pardoned by Biden could increase his total significantly.</p><p>By comparison, Trump pardoned 144 people and granted clemency to 94 in his first term. Some of those acts were <a href="/story/news/2024/12/03/who-did-donald-trump-pardon-jan-6-rioters/76730573007/">controversial</a>, too.</p><h2><strong>Presidential pardons in US history</strong></h2><p>Biden announced Friday that he was commuting <a href="/story/news/politics/elections/2025/01/17/biden-commutes-drug-sentences/77756658007/">2,500 criminal sentences</a> for nonviolent drug offenses that he described as "disproportionately long" compared to modern-day sentences, USA TODAY reported. That's the <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2025/01/17/us/politics/biden-commute-sentences-drug-offenders.html">largest number</a> of commuted sentences issued by a president.</p><p>Biden extended clemency to an <a href="/story/graphics/2024/12/13/biden-issues-clemency-breakdown-of-those-pardoned-sentences-commuted/76969074007/">unprecedented number</a> of people in December, granting pardons to 39 people convicted of nonviolent crimes and commuting the sentences of another 1,499. Until Friday's announcement, it was the largest single-day <a href="/story/news/politics/2024/12/12/joe-biden-clemency-commutes-sentences-pardons/76940572007/">clemency act</a> in American history. </p><a href="https://infogram.com/_/l7HkR84vTgSMjoRy2thw"></a><p>Unable to view our graphics? <a href="/story/graphics/2025/01/17/how-biden-trump-pardons-presidents-compare/77721272007/">Click here to see them</a>.</p><p>The Constitution gives presidents the power of executive clemency for people who have been convicted in federal criminal cases. <a href="/story/news/politics/2018/06/04/presidential-pardons-explanation-executive-clemency-powers/660381002/">Executive clemency</a> has two main powers:</p><ul><strong>Pardons </strong>overturn federal convictions, exempt people from punishment and restore rights such as being allowed to vote, run for public office, hold professional licenses and own a gun. They do not erase the record of the conviction. <strong>Commutations</strong> reduce sentences; the convictions remain intact.</ul><p>Presidential pardons can't be used for state crimes or to save a president or other government official from being impeached. Congress or courts can't overturn a pardon.</p><h2>How Donald Trump's and Joe Biden's pardons compare</h2><a href="https://infogram.com/_/Uzm0ciFwkSjhWZVfNi5b"></a><p>Trump's controversial pardons include: top strategist Steve Bannon; Charles Kushner, father of Jared Kushner, Trump's son-in-law; and Michael Flynn, Trump's former national security adviser.</p><p>In addition to his son Hunter, Biden's controversial pardons include <a href="https://www.justice.gov/usao-ndil/pr/former-dixon-comptroller-rita-crundwell-sentenced-nearly-20-years-federal-prison-537">Rita Crundwell</a>, former comptroller of Dixon, Illinois, who was convicted of embezzling more than $53 million from the city.</p><p>Biden also commuted the sentence of <a href="/story/news/2024/12/12/joe-biden-pardon-list-commute-clemency-jimmy-dimora/76922366007/">Jimmy Dimora</a>, a former Cuyahoga County commissioner who was convicted on 32 counts of bribery and public corruption in Ohio.</p><h2><strong>Presidential pardons issued on last day in office</strong></h2><p>On his last full day in office, Trump issued 74 pardons and 70 commutations, including some to political allies but none to himself or members of his family. </p><a href="https://infogram.com/_/kXnGZsoOCYcdd7YqUCht"></a><h2><strong>Noteworthy presidential pardons and commutations</strong></h2><a href="https://infogram.com/_/WKMDKEum8TPLHjesnAtZ"></a><p>The <strong>Whiskey Rebellion</strong> began in 1794 with a group of farmers and distillers from Pennsylvania. The group started violent protests over the federal government's ban on whiskey and other liquor. In the first act of federal clemency in American history, President George Washington pardoned the group to stop the violence.</p><a href="https://infogram.com/_/jVt15VQblOg1Zd1NWVcY"></a><p>Pardoned <strong>all soldiers</strong> who fought for the Confederacy.</p><a href="https://infogram.com/_/Zimf3XZfg6IBrjvSYuc7"></a><p>Commuted sentence of <strong>Oscar Collazo</strong>, who was convicted of trying to assassinate Truman, from death to life imprisonment. In 1979, Jimmy Carter commuted Collazo’s life sentence, releasing him from prison. (Above: Collazo lies wounded at the base of the steps to Blair House, President Truman's temporary residence in Washington, D.C.)</p><a href="https://infogram.com/_/tAAIiPNQjWXuxx97QQ33"></a><p>Commuted the sentence of former Teamster leader <strong>Jimmy Hoffa</strong> from 13 years in prison to time served of less than five years.</p><a href="https://infogram.com/_/iXj1mxXRutoFuKk5FJsM"></a><p>Pardoned <strong>Richard Nixon</strong>, a "full, free, and absolute pardon ... for all offenses against the United States which he has committed or may have committed or taken part in during the period from Jan. 20, 1969, through Aug. 9, 1974."</p><a href="https://infogram.com/_/eKw2CUBDPzZt11uIgvdG"></a><p>Commuted sentence of Watergate burglar <strong>G. Gordon Liddy</strong> to eight years from 20 years.</p><p>Pardoned singer <strong>Peter Yarrow</strong> of Peter, Paul and Mary, who pleaded guilty in 1970 and served three months in jail after a relationship with a minor, a 14-year-old girl.</p><p>Pardoned 200,000 Vietnam War <strong>draft resisters</strong>.</p><p>Commuted the seven-year sentence of <strong>Patty Hearst</strong>, who was kidnapped by the militant Symbionese Liberation Army in 1974 and later convicted of robbing a bank.</p><a href="https://infogram.com/_/bL3HrSYon7cihOIYnmIN"></a><p>Pardoned New York Yankees owner <strong>George Steinbrenner</strong> for making illegal contributions to Nixon's reelection campaign in 1972.</p><a href="https://infogram.com/_/OKyCnhk9rUakJiykOf2r"></a><p>Pardoned former Defense Secretary <strong>Caspar Weinberger</strong>, former national security adviser <strong>Robert McFarlane</strong> and four others for their involvement in Iran-Contra arms sale scandal.</p><a href="https://infogram.com/_/JFTqugUzpeISQH84o6j6"></a><p>Pardoned his half-brother, <strong>Roger Clinton</strong>, after his cocaine conviction in 1985. </p><p>Pardoned <strong>Patty Hearst</strong>.</p><p>Pardoned financier <strong>Marc Rich</strong>, who was indicted on charges of nonpayment of $48 million in taxes and more than 50 counts of wire fraud and racketeering. He also was accused of violating a trade embargo with Iran. Rich stayed in Switzerland to avoid arrest. After the pardon, critics said Clinton was influenced by donations to the Democratic Party from Rich's ex-wife.</p><p>Pardoned <strong>Susan McDougal</strong>, his former Whitewater business partner, and three others involved in an Arkansas real estate controversy.</p><a href="https://infogram.com/_/Lx4aZrmerX5pW4reTza7"></a><p>Commuted the sentence of <strong>I. Lewis "Scooter" Libby</strong>, chief of staff to Vice President Dick Cheney, who was found guilty of obstruction of justice, two counts of lying under oath, and making false statements in connection with the exposure of Valerie Plame Wilson as a CIA agent.</p><a href="https://infogram.com/_/0LqDyg20ObuonFx2MXHn"></a><p>Commuted the 35-year sentence of former Army Pvt. <strong>Chelsea Manning</strong>, who was convicted of leaking classified information.</p><p>CONTRIBUTING Javier Zarracina, Suhail Bhat, Yoonserk Pyun and John Heasly</p><p>SOURCE USA TODAY Network reporting and research; Reuters; potus.com; Department of Justice, Office of the Pardon Attorney; whitehouse.gov</p></p>