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There are four types of presidential pardons. The president can pardon a crime completely, he has the power to delay a sentence, and he can also shorten or remove a sentence. This presidential power also allows him to terminate a person's legal obligations (e.g. the obligation to pay a fine).
The infamous French pirate Jean Lafitte (who smuggled goods and people) was granted a presidential pardon in 1812 after he helped defend New Orleans during the war.
The idea of pardons was first suggested by Founding Father Alexander Hamilton during the Constitutional Convention in 1787. The US would be able to pardon people for federal crimes, just like the monarchy did over in England.
It was then decided that the power "to grant reprieves and pardons for offenses against the United States" would be the responsibility of the president. The terms of this power are included in Article 2 of the US Constitution.
Under the Sedition Act of 1798, any citizen who criticized the government would be committing a criminal offense and could be convicted. When he took office, President Thomas Jefferson pardoned every citizen convicted under this act.
President Polk pardoned military leader and explorer John C. Fremont, who was court-martialed for insubordination during the Mexican-American War.
In 1858, President James Buchanan offered pardons to all 50,000 Mormons in Utah Territory. But there was a caveat; they had to accept the US as their sovereign state.
President Andrew Johnson pardoned doctor Samuel A. Mudd. The doctor had been convicted of conspiracy for treating John Wilkes Booth’s broken leg after he assassinated President Abraham Lincoln.
In 1868, President Andrew Johnson pardoned over 13,000 former Confederate soldiers. The ex-Confederates did have to pledge allegiance to the US government.
In 1911, President Taft pardoned Captain Schaick, who had been convicted of criminal negligence. The captain continued to steer the steamboat General Slocum up the Long Island Sound after a fire broke out. As a result, some passengers jumped off before the boat was beached and drowned. In total, only 321 of 1,358 passengers survived the accident.
In 1974, president Ford pardoned his predecessor for crimes he had "committed or may have committed or taken part of" while in office. Gerald Ford made an announcement on live TV where he said that Nixon was "an American tragedy in which we all have played a part."
In 1950, President Harry Truman pardoned former Boston Mayor James Michael Curley. The corrupt politician was convicted of mail fraud and had spent five months behind bars.
Another controversial Ford pardon was of a woman named Iva Toguri D'Aquino, also known as “Tokyo Rose.” The American radio broadcaster had been convicted of treason because of her connection to a Japanese radio show that had played propaganda to American soldiers during the Second World War.
Ronald Reagan pardoned both the former FBI associate director W. Mark Felt and his deputy Edward Miller. The two men were accused of allowing agents to break into the homes of Vietnam protestors.
On his first day in office in 1977, President Jimmy Carter granted a pardon to an estimated 210,000 men who were accused of violating the Vietnam War draft. The pardon also stretched to those who were never formally accused, which were an estimated 360,000 men. While Vietnam War draft dodgers were pardoned, deserters were not.
On his last day in office in 2001, President Bill Clinton pardoned his friend, billionaire Marc Rich, who had been a fugitive for fraud and owed more than US$48 million in taxes.
Bill Clinton also pardoned Patty Hearst, who was serving a 35-year sentence for robbery. Hearst was abducted in 1974 by the terrorist group Symbionese Liberation Army and ended up joining them.
In 1989, President Ronald Reagan pardoned the owner of the New York Yankees, George Steinbrenner, who’d pleaded guilty to making illegal donations to help Nixon and for the crime of obstruction of justice.
In total, Clinton pardoned 140 people before he stepped out of his role as president. One of them was his half-brother Roger Clinton, who had been convicted in 1985 of possession and drug trafficking.
…And then reversed it the next day. The New York real estate developer pleaded guilty to fraud regarding mortgages involving the Department of Housing and Urban Development. Bush’s decision was based on the fact that Toussie's father had made large donations to the Republican Party. A pardon certainly wouldn't have looked good!
Vice President Dick Cheney's chief of staff Lewis Libby had his sentence commuted by President Bush. Libby had been convicted of perjury and obstructing justice.
In 2017, President Obama commuted the sentence of Chelsea Manning, who leaked military information to WikiLeaks. Her 35-year sentence was reduced to four months.
Trump pardoned the rapper who’d been convicted for carrying a loaded gun on a flight without a license to do so.
At the end of his term, president Bush also pardoned former Border Patrol agents Ignacio Ramos and Jose A. Compean (pictured). The two men had been convicted of shooting a Mexican drug smuggler and then trying to cover it up.
President Trump granted a number of controversial pardons over the years. One of them was Sheriff Joe Arpaio in 2017, who’d been convicted of criminal contempt for disregarding a court order in a racial profiling case.
Before stepping down as POTUS, Trump commuted the sentences of 144 people, including those of his former advisors Stephen Bannon (pictured) and Roger Stone.
In 1833 President Andrew Jackson granted a pardon to George Wilson for stealing mail and putting the life of a mail carrier in danger. Wilson however refused the pardon and ended up being sentenced to death for the crime.
President Joe Biden granted his son, Hunter Biden, a full and unconditional pardon on December 1, 2024, reversing his previous claims that he would not intervene. The presidential clemency absolves years of legal issues, including a federal conviction for illegal firearm possession and tax evasion.
The first presidential pardons date all the way back to 1795, and President George Washington’s decision was indeed controversial. He granted pardons to Philip Weigel and John Mitchell, who had been involved in the 1794 Whiskey Rebellion and had been found guilty of treason. The uprising was triggered by a federal tax imposed on liquor.
The Dakota War of 1862 was triggered by an attack by 265 Dakota men who killed nearly 500 white settlers in Minnesota. President Abraham Lincoln pardoned these men for the attack and prevented them from being executed. Lincoln’s decision was not popular at the time.
In 1992, President Bush pardoned former Defense Secretary Caspar W. Weinberger and five other officials. These men were involved in the "Iran-Contra" scandal and were accused of lying to Congress about secretly selling weapons to Iran.
In a December interview on 'Meet the Press,' President-elect Donald Trump vowed to review the convictions of hundreds of his supporters involved in the 2021 attack on the Capitol. "I’m going to be acting very quickly. First day," Trump said. He also declared that members of the House committee who investigated the insurrection were the ones who should be in jail, lamenting that his loyal supporters had been "living in hell" for years.
Sources: (The New York Times) (Business Insider) (New York Post) (Grunge) (National Geographic) (Smithsonian Magazine) (NPR)
See also: The numerous times American presidents lied to the nation
On December 12, less than two weeks after controversially pardoning his own son, President Joe Biden announced that he is commuting the sentences of almost 1,500 "non-violent" offenders and pardoning 39 others. It's the most commutations and clemencies ever granted by a US president in a single day. "America was built on the promise of possibility and second chances," he said in a statement. All of the 1,500 non-violent offenders were placed on home confinement under the Covid-19-era CARES Act and have shown signs of successful rehabilitation, according to the White House. Many were reportedly convicted of crimes under outdated laws and given lengthier sentences than would be given today.
Thousands of pardons have been granted throughout history, and some caused public outrage. From family members to fellow politicians and serious offenders, American presidents have exercised their power to grant pardons without the possibility of being challenged by Congress or the courts.
But what were the most controversial presidential pardons in US history? Click through the following gallery to find out.
Biden promises to commute the sentences of 1,500 offenders
Famous and controversial presidential pardons in US history
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On December 12, less than two weeks after controversially pardoning his own son, President Joe Biden announced that he is commuting the sentences of almost 1,500 "non-violent" offenders and pardoning 39 others. It's the most commutations and clemencies ever granted by a US president in a single day. "America was built on the promise of possibility and second chances," he said in a statement. All of the 1,500 non-violent offenders were placed on home confinement under the Covid-19-era CARES Act and have shown signs of successful rehabilitation, according to the White House. Many were reportedly convicted of crimes under outdated laws and given lengthier sentences than would be given today.
Thousands of pardons have been granted throughout history, and some caused public outrage. From family members to fellow politicians and serious offenders, American presidents have exercised their power to grant pardons without the possibility of being challenged by Congress or the courts.
But what were the most controversial presidential pardons in US history? Click through the following gallery to find out.