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Newsweek
28-05-2025
- Politics
- Newsweek
Full List of Donald Trump Pardons During His Second Term
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. President Donald Trump has announced a string of pardons this week, the latest examples of him using his clemency power to pardon people he believes have been treated unfairly by the justice system. Since the start of his second term, Trump has issued a string of pardons while criticizing what he describes as the politicalization and weaponization of the justice system. While his supporters see these pardons as efforts to correct unjust sentences, critics say they reflect a pattern of using presidential power to amplify Trump's narrative of persecution and to cast doubt on the legitimacy of the justice system. Here is a full list of people Trump has so far pardoned in his second term. President Donald Trump pictured in the Oval Office at the White House on January 30, 2025 in Washington, DC. He has issued several pardons so far in his second term. President Donald Trump pictured in the Oval Office at the White House on January 30, 2025 in Washington, DC. He has issued several pardons so far in his second 6 Capitol Riot Defendants On his inauguration day, January 20, 2025, Trump granted full pardons to nearly everyone charged with offenses related to the January 6, 2021 Capitol riot, totaling approximately 1,500 individuals. This sweeping action included both nonviolent participants and those convicted of violent crimes against law enforcement. Trump also commuted the sentences of 14 prominent figures from far-right groups relating to the Capitol attack. This included Enrique Tarrio, the former Proud Boys leader, who was previously sentenced to 22 years for seditious conspiracy, and Stewart Rhodes, the founder of the Oath Keepers, whose 18-year sentence was commuted to time served. This mass clemency was described by Trump as an effort to "end a grave national injustice" and promote "national reconciliation." Ross Ulbricht On January 21, Trump granted a full and unconditional pardon to Ross Ulbricht, the founder of the Silk Road dark web marketplace, an anonymous platform that facilitated the sale of illegal drugs and other illicit goods using cryptocurrency. Ulbricht had been given a life sentence in 2015 for multiple charges, including conspiracy to distribute narcotics and money laundering. The pardon fulfilled a campaign promise Trump made at the 2024 Libertarian National Convention and was supported by libertarian and cryptocurrency communities, who viewed the sentence as an example of government overreach. He pardoned Ulbricht in spite of his parallel calls for drug dealers to be executed in the U.S. Andrew Zabavsky and Terence Dale Sutton, Jr. Trump issued a "full and unconditional pardon" to Washington, DC Metropolitan Police Department officers Andrew Zabavsky and Terence Sutton for their roles in the death of 20-year-old Karon Hylton-Brown. The pair were sentenced for their involvement in the death of Hylton-Brown, who they had pursued in a high-speed chase for driving a moped without a helmet, and for covering up the incident. Anti-Abortion Activists Trump pardoned 23 anti-abortion activists on January 23 who had been convicted in 2023 under the Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances (FACE) Act for blockading a clinic entrance in Washington, D.C., abortion clinic and intimidating staff and patients. This included Lauren Handy, the controversial activist inside whose home authorities discovered five fetuses in 2022. Rod Blagojevich In February, Trump granted a full pardon to former Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich, who had been convicted in 2011 on multiple corruption charges, including attempting to sell Barack Obama's vacant Senate seat, and sentenced to 14 years in prison. The former Democratic governor has been a vocal Trump supporter, previously describing himself as a "Trump-ocrat." Trump had commuted his sentence during his first term, leading to him being released after serving eight years. The new pardon clears his criminal record. Brian Kelsey In March, Trump pardoned the former Republican Tennessee state Senator Brian Kelsey, who had pleaded guilty over attempting to illegally funnel money to his failed campaign for Congress in 2016. He was only two weeks into his 21-month prison sentence when he was pardoned. Devon Archer In March, Trump granted a full pardon to Devon Archer, a former business associate of Hunter Biden, who had been convicted in 2022 for defrauding a Native American tribe in a $60 million bond scheme. Archer became a key figure in the congressional inquiry into the Biden family businesses, testifying that former President Joe Biden's son had sold the "illusion of access" to his father to clients and business associates. Trump said that Archer, who had been sentenced to one year and one day in prison, had been treated "very unfairly." Trevor Milton The president pardoned Trevor Milton, the founder of electric vehicle start-up Nikola, in March, who had been sentenced to four years in prison for fraud but remained free pending an appeal. Prosecutors said that Milton had engaged in a scheme to defraud investors, and he was convicted of two counts of wire fraud and one count of securities fraud. Milton and his wife were major Trump donors, having donated more than $1.8 million to his re-election campaign, according to the Federal Election Commission. BitMEX co-founders In March, Trump also pardoned three co-founders of cryptocurrency exchange BitMEX, Benjamin Delo, Arthur Hayes and Samuel Reed. The trio had pleaded guilty to violating the Bank Secrecy Act by failing to implement a compliant anti-money laundering program. Michele Fiore In March the president issued a pardon for Michele Fiore, who had been convicted of seven counts relating to wire fraud for stealing $70,000 she had collected for a memorial to fallen police officers, and instead used for personal expenses. She was pardoned before being sentenced. Paul Walczak In April, Trump pardoned Paul Walczak, a former nursing home executive convicted of misappropriating over $10 million in employment taxes for personal luxury spending. The pardon came after lobbying efforts by his mother, Elizabeth Fago, a significant Trump donor. Trump's decision was announced less than three weeks after Fago attended a $1 million-per-person fundraising dinner at Mar-a-Lago in Palm Beach. Scott Jenkins On May 26, Trump announced a pardon of Scott Jenkins, the former sheriff of Culpeper County, Virginia, who was convicted of accepting more than $75,000 in bribes in exchange for appointing individuals as auxiliary deputies. Jenkins had been sentenced to 10 years in federal prison in 2024. Trump criticized the prosecution as politically motivated and said Jenkins was the "victim of an overzealous" justice department under Biden. Todd and Julie Chrisley On May 27, Trump said he planned to pardon reality TV stars Todd and Julie Chrisley, who were convicted in 2022 of several counts of fraud and tax evasion involving over $30 million. Todd was serving a 12-year sentence, and Julie was serving seven years. Their daughter, Savannah Chrisley, a vocal Trump supporter, had lobbied for their release and received the news of their pardon in a phone call from the president.
Yahoo
09-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Bitcoin soared on Trump's win, but tariffs reversed the rally
There is an intriguing relationship between Bitcoin and the U.S. President Donald Trump. Once dismissive of the crypto assets, Trump referred to Bitcoin as a "scam" in an interview in June 2021. However, he came to embrace crypto in the run-up to the 2024 presidential elections. 'I will ensure that the future of crypto and the future of Bitcoin will be made in the USA, not driven overseas,' Trump said in a speech to his supporters at the Libertarian National Convention in Washington D.C. on May 25, 2024. When Trump won the presidential election on Nov. 5, 2024, Bitcoin was trading at $67,793.30. The Republican victory sent the asset rallying upwards of $100,000 only a month afterwards. The king coin hit its record all-time high (ATH) of $109,114.88 on Jan. 20, 2025, when Trump was inaugurated as the U.S. president. A crypto trader who would have purchased Bitcoin on election result day would have been sitting on 60% gains by the day of Trump's presidential inauguration. Then came Trump's pro-crypto decision to establish a strategic Bitcoin reserve and a crypto stockpile on March 6. The SEC began to pursue a rather conciliatory approach to crypto under the new administration. However, the crypto market began to stumble ahead of Trump's announcement of sweeping "reciprocal tariffs' on Apr. 2, dubbed the 'Liberation Day.' Bitcoin's price slipped from above $87,000 on Apr. 2 to below $79,000 on Apr. 8. As per Kraken's price feeds, it was trading at $78,454.87 at press time. BTC's current price is more than 25% lower than its ATH in mid-January. So, the trader who had been sitting on 60% gains on the day of Trump's inauguration has seen their gains slashed to barely 17% — a drastic decline of more than 45% within a span of 78 days. Sign in to access your portfolio
Forbes
01-04-2025
- Health
- Forbes
Americans Are Dying Younger: Will RFK Jr.'s Policies Help Or Harm?
Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. speaks at the Libertarian National Convention in Washington, DC. (Photo by ... More Kevin Dietsch, Getty Images) Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. has never been afraid to challenge conventional wisdom— sometimes acting in alignment with the best science, other times rejecting it. Now, as Secretary of Health and Human Services, Kennedy has significant influence over national healthcare policy. In this role, many will judge his success by whether he can reverse the country's most troubling metric: an alarming decline in life expectancy. For decades, the United States has spent more on healthcare than any other nation, yet outcomes continue to lag global peers. According to the Kaiser Family Foundation, Americans now live four years less than citizens of other high-income countries. The U.S. premature death rate is nearly twice that of comparable nations, and the gap has only widened in recent years. Peterson-KFF Health System Tracker KFF data points to three primary drivers, accounting for 68% of the gap: Of course, Kennedy can't address every factor contributing to premature death. Many 'social determinants of health' (think: income, education and housing), would require sweeping reforms across multiple government agencies, well beyond the scope of HHS. But when it comes to direct medical interventions, Kennedy can enact meaningful reforms, ones that could significantly improve life expectancy and the health of millions. Let's examine each, starting with the biggest driver. The single largest contributor to America's lagging life expectancy is chronic disease. According to the KFF report, 'About a third (32%) of the difference in premature death between the U.S. and similar countries is due to deaths from cardiovascular diseases, chronic respiratory diseases and chronic kidney diseases.' Compared to citizens of peer nations, Americans are 2.5 times more likely to die from diabetes and nearly 4 times more likely to die from kidney disease. Preventable cardiovascular disease remains the nation's leading cause of death. The problem isn't a lack of medical knowledge, but system-wide failures in prevention and management. According to CDC data, if every clinician and health system delivered care at the level of today's top performers, the nation could prevent 30–50% of the complications tied to chronic conditions, including heart attacks, strokes, cancer and kidney failure. The Opportunity for RFK Jr.: Kennedy has repeatedly emphasized the urgency of addressing chronic disease in America. During his Senate confirmation hearing, he stated, 'We need to refocus [on chronic disease] if we are going to save our country. This is an existential crisis.' His Make America Healthy Again (MAHA) initiative promotes shifting the healthcare system's focus from disease intervention to prevention. This plan encourages community-based programs that improve diet, increase physical activity and expand preventive screenings. RFK has also advocated for expanding primary care access, a move that's well founded by research. Adding 10 primary care doctors to a community increases life expectancy 2.5 times more than adding 10 specialists, according to a Harvard-Stanford study. Yet, the U.S. continues to overproduce specialists while failing to train enough primary care physicians. Kennedy has also signaled interest in reforming medical care reimbursements. Today's fee-for-service model rewards quantity of care over quality, encouraging more procedures rather than better health. To fix this, Kennedy has proposed sweeping changes to Medicare's payment structure, including shifting toward value-based models and transferring responsibility for setting Medicare reimbursement rates from the American Medical Association to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. This move would likely help narrow the income gap between primary care physicians and specialists. Approximately 12% of the U.S. life expectancy gap can be attributed to: Collectively, these 'deaths of despair' account for 160,000 preventable deaths annually, disproportionately affecting rural and underserved communities, where access to mental health care and addiction treatment is more limited. While some clinicians see these deaths as primarily societal, the DEA considers substance use disorder treatment a core medical responsibility. Physicians are now required to complete eight hours of training to identify and manage these disorders as part of their licensing. The Opportunity for RFK Jr.: Kennedy has long been outspoken about addiction treatment reform, shaped in part by his own personal struggles. He has criticized pharmaceutical companies for fueling the opioid epidemic and vowed to take action against predatory business practices in addiction treatment. During his Senate confirmation hearing, Kennedy emphasized the role of technology in expanding healthcare access, particularly in underserved areas. He has advocated for the use of general artificial intelligence and telemedicine to bring advanced medical care to rural areas, stating that such innovations could provide 'concierge care to every American in this country, even remote parts.' To make this vision a reality, Kennedy would need to streamline FDA approval for new GenAI tools and work with Congress to make Medicare's current reimbursements for telemedicine permanent. If successful, these advancements wouldn't just improve care in rural areas, they would expand access nationwide for patients struggling with mental health and addiction. The COVID-19 pandemic led to over 1 million American deaths and a historic drop in U.S. life expectancy. While every nation experienced losses, the United States was hit particularly hard. As of 2024, the U.S. has regained only half of the lost years, lagging far behind peer countries. A major driver of the nation's high mortality rate was widespread vaccine hesitancy. Though COVID-19 vaccines weren't a flawless solution, they significantly reduced the risk of hospitalization and death. Still, many Americans—distrustful of public health agencies or swayed by misinformation—chose to forgo them, a choice that disproportionately harmed older adults and those with underlying health conditions. Kennedy's long-standing skepticism toward vaccines has been central to his public persona, and on this issue, his views directly conflict with scientific consensus. The Opportunity for RFK Jr.: Kennedy has a chance to help restore public trust in vaccines—a critical step in preparing for future public health threats. While he has made gestures in that direction, his messaging and actions remain contradictory. Amid the ongoing measles outbreak—which began in Texas and has infected nearly 400 people across 15 states—Kennedy initially acknowledged the importance of vaccination, stating, 'Vaccines not only protect individual children from measles, but also contribute to community immunity.' However, he later promoted vitamin A supplements and cod liver oil as additional treatments, which public health experts have criticized as unproven and potentially misleading. In a recent response to avian flu, Kennedy suggested allowing the virus to spread in order to identify birds with natural immunity. Public health experts and veterinary scientists have widely criticized it as scientifically unsound, increasing the risk of viral mutation and human transmission—and potentially creating another public health crisis akin to COVID-19. That said, his administration has taken some constructive steps. One example: RFK ordered the removal of a fake CDC website that featured misleading vaccine information. It remains unclear whether Kennedy's stance on vaccines will evolve. But if he channels his longstanding call for increased transparency in vaccine development and safety data toward scientifically grounded reforms, he could earn back public trust—particularly among vaccine-hesitant Americans. The impact of his efforts will likely hinge on whether the researchers he has appointed to study vaccine safety pursue the issue with scientific integrity or with bias rooted in past skepticism. Politicians have tinkered around the edges of healthcare reform for decades, yet no one has made the bold moves needed to improve U.S. health outcomes or close the life expectancy gap with peer nations. Now, Kennedy has a rare chance to change that. By advancing proven strategies—(a) reducing chronic disease through preventive and primary care, (b) tackling deaths of despair with tech-enabled treatments and (c) using science-based interventions to fight infectious disease—he could narrow the gap and reestablish the U.S. as a global healthcare leader. But if he erodes public trust in health institutions, promotes unproven treatments or dismantles vaccine programs, preventable deaths will rise (especially among children) and life expectancy will decline even further. With his leadership team now in place at the FDA, CDC and CMS, Kennedy must choose a path. The health of millions hangs in the balance.
