• Home
  • Latest
  • Fortune 500
  • Finance
  • Tech
  • Leadership
  • Lifestyle
  • Rankings
  • Multimedia

Trendingnow

1

Analysts expected oil to surge above $200 but China has quietly kept prices half of that—and can’t for much longer

2

Corporate America has been draining the world's water. Matt Damon's new campaign calls on Gap, Starbucks, and Amazon to help give it back

3

Marc Lore’s robots make 500 burrito bowls an hour. A human can make 45

1

Analysts expected oil to surge above $200 but China has quietly kept prices half of that—and can’t for much longer

2

Corporate America has been draining the world's water. Matt Damon's new campaign calls on Gap, Starbucks, and Amazon to help give it back

3

Marc Lore’s robots make 500 burrito bowls an hour. A human can make 45
PoliticsDonald Trump

Trump pardons: 7 high profile people who may get one

Jeff John Roberts
By
Jeff John Roberts
Jeff John Roberts
Editor, Finance and Crypto
Down Arrow Button Icon
Jeff John Roberts
By
Jeff John Roberts
Jeff John Roberts
Editor, Finance and Crypto
Down Arrow Button Icon
December 18, 2020, 6:03 PM ET

Presidents typically issue a flurry of pardons and commutations on their way out of office and, if reports are accurate, Donald Trump will be no exception. According to one source, President Trump is eager to exercise his clemency power before Christmas, and a new batch of pardons may be announced today.

So far, the President has used the pardon power sparingly. In some cases, his choices enjoyed popular support, including his decisions to pardon historical figures convicted on the basis of racist motives as well as non-violent drug offenders.

Other choices have been more controversial. These include Trump’s decision to pardon the corrupt former governor of Illinois and Michael Flynn, his former national security advisor who had pled guilty to lying to investigators about his conversations with Russia’s ambassador.

Now, in the waning days of Trump’s presidency, a list of even more controversial names is reportedly under consideration for a pardon. Here are seven of the most prominent ones.

Edward Snowden

The former NSA contractor copied and leaked highly classified information about the U.S. government’s surveillance programs. Since 2013, Snowden has lived in exile in Moscow. Hailed as a courageous whistleblower by many, others regard Snowden as a traitor who compromised U.S. security. His name has repeatedly surfaced in possible pardon discussions—with some noting President Obama commuted the sentence of Chelsea Manning, a soldier who leaked sensitive documents—but it’s unclear if Trump is seriously disposed to pardon Snowden.

Ross Ulbricht aka ‘The Dread Pirate Roberts’

Ulbricht is notorious for running the Silk Road, an online marketplace for selling drugs and offering all manner of illicit services. The young Texan operated the site under the name Dread Pirate Roberts and, when he got caught, tried to claim he had passed the business along to a different Dread Pirate—much as his namesake protagonist had done in the Princess Bride movie. The judge didn’t believe his far-fetched story and sentenced him to life in prison. Civil libertarians have long claimed the sentence was too harsh, while Ulbricht’s mother has been waging a relentless campaign to free her son—leading a report this week that President Trump is considering a pardon.

Rudy Giuliani

The former New York mayor has reinvented himself in recent years as a fanatic Trump loyalist. As the President’s personal lawyer, Giuliani has been leading the futile legal campaign to challenge the election results, in part by floating outlandish conspiracy theories. It’s unclear what if any charges Giuliani may be facing, though he has been under federal investigation for his dealings in Ukraine. The New York Times reported this month that he has been discussing a pardon for himself with the President.

Julian Assange

The founder of Wikileaks, Assange is currently in prison in the United Kingdom, where he is fighting extradition to the U.S. His critics view him as unsavory figure as a result of rape allegations in Sweden, and his apparent ties to the Russian government. But Assange also has high-profile advocates, including actress and model Pamela Anderson who recently posted bathing suit shots urging Trump to pardon him. Despite the publicity, it’s unclear if Trump is seriously considering clemency for Assange.

Joe Exotic, aka “The Tiger King”

Exotic became a household name after Netflix aired a documentary this year that depicted his exotic cat business, and his feud with an animal rights activist. That feud resulted in Exotic receiving a 22-year sentence for plotting to murder the activist. Exotic’s showbiz lifestyle have led many to speculate that Trump would view him as a kindred spirit and grant a pardon. The Justice Department, however, recently rejected Exotic’s formal application for clemency. Trump could nonetheless disregard the formal protocol and grant a pardon all the same—as he has already done repeatedly.

The Trump children and Jared Kushner

The New York Times reported that Trump is seriously exploring pardons for his three eldest children, Eric, Ivanka and Don Jr. While the latter was implicated in the Russian probe, none of the three Trump kids are currently facing charges—though they may in the future. There is potential legal danger for Ivanka in regard to consultancy fees she received as part of her father’s tax write-offs. Likewise, her husband, Jared Kushner, could face jeopardy over a shell company he allegedly designed to use campaign donations to enrich the family. The President could absolve any wrongdoing, however, by issuing a pre-emptive pardon—something that is in his power to do. Such a pardon, though, would only apply to federal charges. The President could not absolve his family from criminal charges brought by state governments or protect them from prosecution for future criminal activity.

President Donald Trump

Trump has reportedly been asking aides about pardoning himself. Such a move would be an untested assertion of the pardon power given to the President by the Constitution. Many legal scholars are skeptical. There is a clear legal way for Trump to be absolved of any crimes he may have committed—namely by resigning and having Vice President Pence take up the Presidency, and issuing a pardon. That was what happened when President Gexrald Ford absolved his predecessor, Richard Nixon. But there is no indication Trump is willing to follow such a playbook, meaning the untested self-pardon looms as real possibility.

About the Author
Jeff John Roberts
By Jeff John RobertsEditor, Finance and Crypto
LinkedIn iconTwitter icon

Jeff John Roberts is the Finance and Crypto editor at Fortune, overseeing coverage of the blockchain and how technology is changing finance.

See full bioRight Arrow Button Icon

Latest in Politics

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025

Most Popular

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Fortune Secondary Logo
Rankings
  • 100 Best Companies
  • Fortune 500
  • Global 500
  • Fortune 500 Europe
  • Most Powerful Women
  • World's Most Admired Companies
  • See All Rankings
  • Lists Calendar
Sections
  • Finance
  • Fortune Crypto
  • Features
  • Leadership
  • Health
  • Commentary
  • Success
  • Retail
  • Mpw
  • Tech
  • Lifestyle
  • CEO Initiative
  • Asia
  • Politics
  • Conferences
  • Europe
  • Newsletters
  • Personal Finance
  • Environment
  • Magazine
  • Education
Customer Support
  • Frequently Asked Questions
  • Customer Service Portal
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms Of Use
  • Single Issues For Purchase
  • International Print
Commercial Services
  • Advertising
  • Fortune Brand Studio
  • Fortune Analytics
  • Fortune Conferences
  • Business Development
  • Group Subscriptions
About Us
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • Facebook icon
  • Twitter icon
  • LinkedIn icon
  • Instagram icon
  • Pinterest icon

Latest in Politics

defense
PoliticsDefense
Trump says Europe freeloads on defense. Britain’s own (former) Defense Secretary just agreed
By Jill Lawless, Danica Kirka and The Associated PressJune 11, 2026
4 hours ago
carney
North AmericaSocial Media
Canada joins global movement to ban social media for kids: ‘We are failing our children. Enough is enough’
By Rob Gillies and The Associated PressJune 11, 2026
16 hours ago
gianni
North AmericaWorld Cup
Mexico City roasts new chandeliers slapped onto its metro for World Cup
By Megan Janetsky and The Associated PressJune 11, 2026
16 hours ago
T-minus 24 hours: On the eve of SpaceX IPO liftoff some Wall Street analysts say the stock is worth only half of Elon Musk’s price
EconomyMarkets
T-minus 24 hours: On the eve of SpaceX IPO liftoff some Wall Street analysts say the stock is worth only half of Elon Musk’s price
By Jim EdwardsJune 11, 2026
19 hours ago
bessent
CommentarySocial Security
Social Security and Medicare are heading toward insolvency. Congress has 6 years to act
By Steve H. Hanke and David M. WalkerJune 11, 2026
20 hours ago
Digital sovereignty isn’t the same thing as digital isolation. Asia’s governments should be careful
Commentarydata sovereignty
Digital sovereignty isn’t the same thing as digital isolation. Asia’s governments should be careful
By Leonard LimJune 10, 2026
1 day ago

Most Popular

Analysts expected oil to surge above $200 but China has quietly kept prices half of that—and can’t for much longer
Energy
Analysts expected oil to surge above $200 but China has quietly kept prices half of that—and can’t for much longer
By Sasha RogelbergJune 10, 2026
1 day ago
Corporate America has been draining the world's water. Matt Damon's new campaign calls on Gap, Starbucks, and Amazon to help give it back
Environment
Corporate America has been draining the world's water. Matt Damon's new campaign calls on Gap, Starbucks, and Amazon to help give it back
By Catherina GioinoJune 9, 2026
3 days ago
Marc Lore’s robots make 500 burrito bowls an hour. A human can make 45
Innovation
Marc Lore’s robots make 500 burrito bowls an hour. A human can make 45
By Amanda GerutJune 9, 2026
2 days ago
Current price of oil as of June 11, 2026
Personal Finance
Current price of oil as of June 11, 2026
By Joseph HostetlerJune 11, 2026
17 hours ago
Costco CEO Ron Vachris rose from forklift driver to the C-suite without a college degree: ‘Don’t chase a title’ is the career advice that got him there
Success
Costco CEO Ron Vachris rose from forklift driver to the C-suite without a college degree: ‘Don’t chase a title’ is the career advice that got him there
By Preston ForeJune 8, 2026
4 days ago
Pentagon accuses Alibaba, Baidu and BYD, three of China's biggest companies, of supporting the Chinese military
Asia
Pentagon accuses Alibaba, Baidu and BYD, three of China's biggest companies, of supporting the Chinese military
By Kate O'Keeffe and BloombergJune 8, 2026
3 days ago

© 2026 Fortune Media IP Limited. All Rights Reserved. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy | CA Notice at Collection and Privacy Notice | Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information
FORTUNE is a trademark of Fortune Media IP Limited, registered in the U.S. and other countries. FORTUNE may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Offers may be subject to change without notice.