Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley (MA-07)
First Comprehensive Analysis Details Who Has Benefited and Who Has Been Left Behind by Trump’s Second-Term Pardons and Commutations
Pressley, Also Urges Trump Pardon Czar to Prioritize Clemency for Communities Directly Harmed by Mass Incarceration
Text of Report | Letter to Trump Pardon Czar
WASHINGTON – Today, Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley (MA-07) unveiled a new, first-of-its-kind report revealing how Donald Trump’s use of clemency and pardons has neglected many of the most marginalized and impacted communities. The report, titled “Trump’s Clemency Gap,” is the first comprehensive analysis of Trump’s clemency actions during his current term and details who has benefited and who has been left behind. Following the release of the report, Congresswoman Pressley sent a letter to Trump’s “pardon czar” urging her to prioritize clemency for people who have been disproportionately harmed by mass incarceration.
Congresswoman Pressley, whose own family has been personally impacted by mass incarceration, has been a leading voice in Congress advocating for presidential clemency to address the mass incarceration crisis and systemic injustices. She is also the lead sponsor of the FIX Clemency Act, legislation to transform America’s broken clemency system.
“Presidential clemency should be used to address injustices—not to reward political allies, corporations, and insurrectionists. As our report makes plain, the Trump White House has used this profound authority to shield extremists, restrict abortion access, reward corporations, and embolden corruption by erasing massive financial penalties for the wealthy and well-connected,” said Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley in a statement alongside the report. “While millions of people suffer under mass incarceration—including Black, brown, low-income, LGBTQ+, and disabled folks—the Trump Administration has an opportunity to change course and use clemency to advance justice. We’re calling on them to do just that.”
The report, grounded in newly compiled data, reveals that despite granting more than 1,700 pardons in a single year, Trump has prioritized his most extreme supporters and political donors while neglecting communities harmed by our unjust criminal legal system.
Key Findings:
- Trump has granted more than 1,500 pardons to January 6th insurrectionists
- 85% of pardons and commutations went to white people
- Only nine clemency actions (5%) were for people convicted of drug offenses
- 10 out of 17 women (59%) pardoned by Donald Trump with convictions had obstructed or denied women’s access to healthcare
- Trump granted the first-ever pardon of a corporation to a multi-million-dollar global crypto company
- Approximately $1.4 billion in restitution and fines were lost as a result of Trump’s clemency grants
- Only 17 people (0.08%) were granted clemency through the Department of Justice application process
Congresswoman Pressley’s report analyzes more than 1,700 presidential pardons and commutations granted by Donald Trump during his current term in office. The data includes all publicly reported federal clemency actions issued from January 20, 2025, through December 15, 2025, as identified through official White House announcements, Department of Justice records, United States Sentencing Commission, academic research institutions, and news organizations.
To read the full report, click here.
In her letter to Alice Johnson, the Trump Administration’s “pardon czar,” Congresswoman Pressley highlighted America’s longstanding mass incarceration crisis and urged her to prioritize clemency for those who have been disproportionately harmed by systemic injustices, including Black and brown, low-income, LGBTQ+, and disabled individuals serving mostly non-violent sentences. Congresswoman Pressley also invoked Johnson’s past support for clemency reform, including the Congresswoman’s FIX Clemency Act.
“Pardons and commutations have the power to transform people’s lives. It should not be limited to wealthy people and political allies,” wrote Congresswoman Pressley in her letter. “Your own personal story is a powerful testament to the importance of granting clemency to those directly harmed by systemic injustices. As a Black woman who was serving a life sentence for drug-related offenses, you know firsthand that there are people currently incarcerated who deserve clemency but lack access, connections, or a public platform.”
The full text of the letter is available here.
Congresswoman Pressley is the lead sponsor of the FIX Clemency Act, historic legislation to transform our nation’s broken clemency system and address the growing mass incarceration crisis.
Congresswoman Pressley led calls in Congress for President Biden to use his clemency authority to address mass incarceration and applauded the President for granting clemency to over thousands of people before the end of his term and commended him for commuting the death sentences of 37 individuals on federal death row.
Congresswoman Pressley has been a steadfast champion for a more just and equitable criminal legal system and has introduced legislation to fix our nation’s broken clemency system.
- On January 17, 2025, Rep. Pressley applauded President Biden for using his clemency authority to commute the sentences of nearly 2,500 individuals with sentencing disparities.
- On December 23, 2024, Rep. Pressley commended President Biden for commuting the sentences of 37 individuals on death row and re-sentencing them to life in prison.
- On December 12, 2024, Rep. Pressley issued a statement on President Biden’s granting pardons to 39 people and commutations to nearly 1,500 people. Earlier that month, on Human Rights Day, Rep. Pressley joined colleagues and advocates for a press conference to renew their calls for President Biden to use his clemency authority to commute the death sentences of the 40 individuals on federal death row and resentence them to a prison term.
- In June 2025, Juneteenth, Rep. Pressley re-introduced the People’s Justice Guarantee, a comprehensive, decarceration-focused resolution that outlines a framework for a fair, equitable and just legal system.
- In October 2022, Rep. Pressley issued a statement applauding President Biden’s executive action pardoning thousands of people for simple possession of marijuana.
- In December 2021, Rep. Pressley, along with Reps. Cori Bush (MO-01) and Hakeem Jeffries (NY-08) and grassroots advocates, unveiled the Fair and Independent Experts in Clemency (FIX Clemency) Act, historic legislation to transform our nation’s broken clemency system and address the growing mass incarceration crisis.
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