Fact check: Which president issued the most pardons overall in US history?

1. How the competing claims arose and what they actually assert

Two competing narratives appear in the supplied analyses: one asserts that Joe Biden leads all presidents in total clemency actions with figures like 8,064 or 4,245 depending on the counting method, while another asserts that Andrew Johnson granted 7,654 individual pardons, a historically anomalous surge tied to post‑Civil‑War amnesty ^{[2] [3] [1]}. The difference stems from definitions: modern factboxes and DOJ summaries often aggregate pardons, commutations and other clemency actions into a single tally, whereas historical lists count individual pardons granted by name. This definitional gap drives conflicting headlines. ^{[2] [3] [1]}

2. The case for Andrew Johnson as the single largest pardoner in history

Primary compilations of historical pardons attribute about 7,654 pardons to Andrew Johnson, reflecting his broad postwar amnesty program that restored rights to many former Confederates. That total is cited in tabulations of individual named pardons and in long‑running lists of presidential clemency recipients, and no other 19th‑ or 20th‑century president approaches that number when counting individual pardons by name ^[1]. Johnson’s pardons are a product of policy and circumstance — a concentrated effort to reconcile after the Civil War — rather than a modern clemency drive. ^[1]

3. The case for Biden as the modern leader in clemency actions

Recent reporting and DOJ/White House summaries present President Joe Biden as having authorized the largest number of clemency actions in the modern era, with figures quoted as 4,245 or 8,064 depending on whether one counts certain administrative acts, commutations, and post‑administration tallies ^{[3] [2]}. Biden’s record is driven largely by commutations, particularly of federal drug sentences, not by traditional pardons alone. These counts reflect contemporary record‑keeping that aggregates different clemency categories into a single total, producing headlines that he “leads” previous presidents by that broader metric ^{[3] [2]}.

4. Why the distinction between pardons and clemency totals matters

Legal and historical practice separates pardons (forgiveness of conviction) from commutations (shortening of sentence) and other clemency tools; aggregating them can mislead comparisons across eras because historical records and presidential practices differ. Andrew Johnson’s 19th‑century tally reflects named pardons issued en masse. By contrast, Biden’s large numbers are concentrated in commutations and modern record‑keeping; counting both types together inflates his standing relative to historical presidents who granted mostly pardons or whose administrative records are incomplete ^{[1] [3]}. Comparisons must use consistent categories. ^{[1] [3]}

5. Evaluating the sources: strengths, limitations, and dates

The historical pardon table ^[1] compiles named pardons across administrations and supports Johnson’s 7,654 figure; it is strongest for direct counts of individual pardons but may not reflect every administrative nuance. Contemporary factboxes and DOJ‑linked reporting ^{[2] [3]} provide up‑to‑date totals for Biden but vary in whether they report narrowly defined pardons or broader clemency actions; dates in January–February 2025 show these tallies were current then. All sources are useful but biased by definitional choices; none alone settles the matter without clarifying what is being counted. ^{[1] [2] [3]}

6. Reconciling the numbers and the clear bottom line

When the metric is named, individual pardons, Andrew Johnson remains the historical record‑holder with roughly 7,654 pardons. When the metric is total clemency actions that aggregate pardons, commutations and related acts in modern reporting, President Joe Biden’s totals can appear higher, primarily because of thousands of commutations granted in his administration ^{[1] [3] [2]}. Thus the correct answer depends on the question asked: “most pardons” points to Andrew Johnson; “most clemency actions” as counted in some modern tallies can point to Joe Biden. ^{[1] [3]}

7. What readers should watch for and final verification steps

Readers should demand clarity on definitions and consult primary government records when possible: named pardon lists and the Office of the Pardon Attorney’s clemency statistics are the most direct sources for cross‑era comparisons ^[1]. For modern totals, check whether reporting distinguishes pardons vs. commutations and whether post‑administration updates are included ^{[3] [2]}. The authoritative, comparative statement is that Andrew Johnson granted the most individual pardons; modern aggregated clemency tallies can portray a different leader if commutations are folded in. ^{[1] [3] [2]}