Have any prosecutions or investigations been launched into Trump selling pardons?
Executive summary
No public criminal prosecution charging former president Donald Trump with selling pardons is reported in the provided sources; reporters and analysts instead document an extraordinary and rapid use of the pardon power — more than 1,600 clemencies by mid‑2025 and over 1,800 by December 2025 — that has provoked legal questions and political backlash [1] [2]. Advocacy groups and commentators call the pattern a “corruption” of the pardon power, and some pardons have generated downstream legal actions or criticism from prosecutors and foreign officials, but the sources do not report any formal DOJ criminal case against Trump for “selling” pardons [3] [4] [2].
1. What reporters have documented: a torrent of pardons and controversy
News outlets and watchdogs describe a prolific and atypical exercise of clemency: Trump issued mass pardons (including a tranche of roughly 1,500 linked to Jan. 6), and by July 2025 had granted clemency to more than 1,600 people, with counts rising to more than 1,800 by December 2025 — a pace critics say bypassed traditional review and raised rule‑of‑law concerns [1] [2]. Major outlets note high‑profile pardons — from Jan. 6 participants to foreign leaders and business figures — that have drawn sustained reporting and analysis [5] [4] [6].
2. Allegations and critiques: ‘pardon rackets’ and corruption framing
Commentators and advocacy groups frame the conduct as an abuse of power. Project Syndicate published an essay calling it a corruption of the pardon power, arguing the constitutional sole authority to pardon is vulnerable when exercised without shame or restraint [3]. Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington cataloged clemencies for convicted politicians and described a pattern of pardoning allies [7]. These voices assert the pattern looks transactional or partisan even if direct proof of a sale is not cited in the provided material [3] [7].
3. Legal actions that did happen — not criminal prosecutions of Trump for selling pardons
The record in these sources shows litigation and prosecutorial reactions related to specific pardons (for example, courts and DOJ litigating whether mass pardons covered separate charges), and foreign prosecutors signaling they may pursue cases against individuals pardoned for crimes abroad, but they do not report a criminal indictment of Trump for selling pardons [5] [4] [1]. For instance, the DOJ and courts debated whether mass Jan. 6 pardons applied to unrelated gun charges, and foreign prosecutors in Honduras reacted to a pardon of a former president [5] [4].
4. High‑profile pardons that sparked investigations or threatened legal steps
Specific pardons triggered follow‑on scrutiny: the pardon of ex‑Honduran president Juan Orlando Hernández prompted comments from Honduras’ attorney general about possible domestic action, and pardons of business figures indicted months earlier drew questions about coordination between the White House and DOJ [4] [8] [6]. Reporting notes unclear White House explanations in several cases, increasing calls for transparency [8] [6].
5. What the sources do not show — limits of current reporting
Available sources do not mention any DOJ criminal investigation or prosecution expressly charging Trump with the crime of selling pardons. The materials record criticism, civil and criminal cases touching pardoned individuals, and debates over application of mass pardons, but they provide no source asserting an active criminal case against Trump for exchanging pardons for money or other explicit consideration [1] [5] [2].
6. Competing viewpoints and hidden incentives to note
Advocates and watchdogs present the pattern as political favoritism or corruption [7] [3]. The White House and allies frame pardons as correcting perceived injustices or exercising legitimate presidential prerogative; some pardons were defended as part of a political agenda to “reconcile” supporters [1] [5]. Also relevant: critics highlight the administration’s bypassing of the Office of the Pardon Attorney and replacement of its leadership, which may reflect an implicit agenda to prioritize political loyalty over established review processes [1].
7. Takeaway for readers seeking further confirmation
If you are seeking confirmation that Trump has been prosecuted specifically for selling pardons, the provided reporting does not show such a prosecution or formal DOJ investigation alleging a quid pro quo sale. For developments beyond these sources, look for direct DOJ filings, grand jury indictments, or reporting citing internal prosecutorial memos; the current materials document controversy and legal ripples but not a criminal case charging Trump with selling pardons [3] [5] [4].