Here are the definitions of a pardon and a commutation.
Pardons: Complete forgiveness of a conviction that erases all associated penalties.
Commutations: A reduction in the length of a sentence without forgiving the underlying conviction.
Since my friend in Wisconsin, Scott K likes to compare Trump with Biden, I guess I’ll go along with it this time, because I need to prove a point. It highlights the extreme abuse of power by Trump.
Donald Trump gave over 1,500 full pardons granted since January of 2025. Those also included the insurrectionists of the U.S. Capital attack, as they were acting in Donald Trumps name.
Joe Biden gave only 80 full pardons granted over a four-year term, with a primary focus on commutations.
Trump cost the taxpayer over $1.3 billion. The evidence suggests that the inner circle accepted donations and political favors in exchange for clemency. Biden on the other hand forgave $700,000 in financial penalties. Most debts were settled by Biden prior to the pardons, aligning with standard DOJ protocols. Of course, Donald Trump would never align himself with DOJ protocols.
While Biden faces legitimate historical criticism for pardoning his son Hunter Biden, this does not justify the current administration’s systemic monetization of the pardon power. The traditional process, which requires the satisfaction of financial debts to the state, has been inverted to serve private interests at the public’s expense.