Former U.S. President Donald Trump has issued sweeping pardons to 77 political allies, including Rudy Giuliani, Sidney Powell, and several former aides accused of attempting to overturn his 2020 election loss to Joe Biden, according to a statement from the U.S. Justice Department.
The proclamation, dated Friday and made public on Monday, described the move as an effort to “end a grave national injustice” and promote “national reconciliation.”
Among those pardoned are Mark Meadows, Trump’s former Chief of Staff; ex-Justice Department official Jeffrey Clark; and lawyers John Eastman, Christina Bobb, Kenneth Chesebro, and Boris Epshteyn — all of whom played roles in efforts to challenge the 2020 results.
The pardons apply only to federal offences, meaning ongoing state-level investigations in Arizona, Georgia, Wisconsin, and Nevada remain unaffected.
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt defended the decision, describing it as a reaffirmation of the “constitutional right to question election outcomes.”
Trump himself was not included among the pardoned individuals. His own federal case related to the election was dismissed last year after prosecutors cited Justice Department policy barring the indictment of a sitting president.
The mass pardon, shared on social media by Ed Martin, head of the Justice Department’s “weaponisation group,” has stirred intense political debate, with critics warning it could further erode public trust in democratic institutions.
