His pardons raise concerns about money and the erosion of U.S. norms.
On Monday, The Washington Post published an analysis showing that U.S. President Donald Trump has granted clemency to at least 10 people for drug-related offenses since Jan. 20, 2025.
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Honduras Issues Arrest Warrant for Former President Hernandez Following U.S. Pardon
The decline in the legitimacy of U.S. presidential pardons began on his first day in office, when the Republican leader pardoned everyone convicted or awaiting sentencing for the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the Capitol, including those charged with sedition.
These controversial pardons were followed by cases such as that of Joseph Shwartz, an American magnate convicted of fraud who reportedly paid nearly US$1 million to a lobbying group in hopes of securing clemency. The White House granted him a pardon but denied any ties to those interest groups.
In the president’s hands, the roughly 1,600 presidential pardons issued in 2025 have become a sort of thermometer of power and a “pay-for-clemency” practice that continues to add names to the list. Among the people pardoned by Trump are several well-known figures:
Unbelievable! Trump will pardon Juan Orlando Hernandez, a real Honduran narco, while inventing a fake one in Venezuela. Then he tells Hondurans who to vote for, and threatens their economy if they don’t! Enough. Hands off Latin America. pic.twitter.com/Zmdtk99fp8
— Medea Benjamin (@medeabenjamin) November 29, 2025
Juan Orlando Hernandez. The most recent case is the full pardon of the former Honduran president, who had been sentenced to 45 years in prison on drug trafficking charges. Trump argued that his prosecution had been a “set-up” by former President Joe Biden’s administration. Critics accused Trump of hypocrisy for freeing someone convicted of drug trafficking while simultaneously increasing pressure in Latin America through actions targeting alleged drug boats.
Ross Ulbricht: The creator of the illegal online marketplace Silk Road was sentenced to life in prison in 2015 on charges of drug trafficking, conspiracy and computer fraud. Upon returning to the White House, the Republican president granted him a pardon.
Liz Oyer, a former pardons attorney under the Trump administration before he fired her, told The Washington Post that these two cases illustrate “the erosion of a system where money and political influence weigh more and more.” But the list includes individuals convicted of crimes beyond drug trafficking.
Henry Cuellar: The alleged political persecution by Biden was also the reason Trump cited last week for pardoning Texas Democratic Rep. Henry Cuellar, who was accused in May 2024 of accepting US$600,000 in bribes from a Mexican bank. Cuellar, a Democratic member of Congress since 2005, openly criticized Biden’s immigration policy and aligned himself with positions now championed by Trump.
How much money has Trump been pocketing in exchange for pardons? pic.twitter.com/T3Uz5elh2G
— Ed Krassenstein (@EdKrassen) December 5, 2025
George Santos: In October, Trump commuted the sentence of former Republican congressman George Santos of New York, who had been sentenced to more than seven years in prison for fraud and aggravated identity theft tied to his misuse of campaign funds for personal benefit.
Trump described Santos as someone who is often “a little rogue” but said there are many rogues in the country and that they should not necessarily have to serve seven years in prison. Santos is known for his controversial comments on corruption and immigration and has accumulated various complaints over the course of his career.
David Gentile: The CEO of a private equity firm, who was sentenced to seven years in prison for securities fraud, had just entered prison when he too received White House clemency. The former owner of GPB Capital Holdings was convicted of defrauding more than 10,000 investors of roughly US$1.6 billion.
Changpeng Zhao: On Oct. 23, Trump pardoned Changpeng Zhao, co-founder of the cryptocurrency platform Binance, who had been convicted of money laundering. The case drew particular attention because, since Trump’s return to the White House, Binance has become an important supporter of the cryptocurrency company World Liberty Financial, founded by Trump’s family.
The anti-war movement and calls for peace get louder in the United States. Plus, a dance battle between Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and U.S. President Donald Trump. pic.twitter.com/GTkfHTW7l6
— teleSUR English (@telesurenglish) December 8, 2025
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Source: EFE
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