Last updated: Sept. 2, 2025
Article II, Section 2 of the U.S. Constitution states, “The President ... shall have Power to grant Reprieves and Pardons for Offenses against the United States, except in Cases of Impeachment.” It describes one of the presidency’s most controversial powers: executive clemency, which gives the president the power to pardon individuals convicted of having committed a federal crime.
Below you will find a quantitative overview of presidential pardons and answers to questions such as the following: can a president pardon someone who has not yet been convicted of a crime; why did the framers grant this power to the presidency; and how frequently have presidents invoked this power?
HIGHLIGHTS
Between fiscal years 1902 and 2025, Franklin Roosevelt (D) issued, on average, more pardons than any other president.
As of Sept. 2, 2025, the annual average number of pardons was 117.7, while the annual average number of commutations was 88.1.
Between fiscal years 1902 and 2025, Lyndon Johnson (D) was the only president to issue no pardons or commutations during his final fiscal year in office.
Recent presidential pardons and commutations
The list below highlights presidential pardons made recently. Know of one we missed? Email us at editor@ballotpedia.org and let us know.
- May 29, 2025: President Donald Trump (R) issued a pardon to Jeremy Young Hutchinson and commutations to Edward Ruben Sotelo and Joe Angelo Sotelo.[1]
- May 28, 2025: President Donald Trump (R) issued 16 pardons and six commutations.[1]
- May 27, 2025: President Donald Trump (R) issued pardons to Scott Howard Jenkins and James Callahan.[1]
How frequently have presidents invoked this power?
Note: This section is updated once per month. It was most recently updated on Sept. 2, 2025.
The tables below show official pardons and commutations from Theodore Roosevelt to Donald Trump's second term. The first table shows an overview that can be used to compare these presidents’ use of executive clemency.
The tables below do not include instances of mass pardons such as in 1974 when President Ford pardoned individuals who evaded the draft during the Vietnam War.[2] All years are fiscal years, not calendar years. Statistics were taken from the U.S. Department of Justice website.
Overview: 1902 - 2025
- Total pardons: 14,471
- Annual average of pardons: 117.7
- Total pardons from Democratic presidents: 8,473
- Total pardons from Republican presidents: 5,998
- Total commutations: 10,832
- Annual average of commutations: 88.1
- Total commutations from Democratic presidents: 8,268
- Total commutations from Republican presidents: 2,564
| 1902 - 2025
|
| President
|
Fiscal years
|
Total pardons
|
Average annual pardons
|
Total commutations
|
Average annual commutations
|
| Donald Trump (R) - II |
2025 - present |
58 |
58 |
26 |
26
|
| Joe Biden (D) |
2021 - 2025 |
80 |
20 |
4,165 |
1041.3
|
| Donald Trump (R) - I |
2017 - 2021 |
143 |
35.8 |
94 |
23.5
|
| Barack Obama (D) |
2009 - 2017 |
212 |
26.5 |
1,715 |
214.4
|
| George W. Bush (R) |
2001 - 2009 |
189 |
21 |
11 |
1.2
|
| Bill Clinton (D) |
1993 - 2001 |
396 |
44 |
61 |
6.8
|
| George H.W. Bush (R) |
1989 - 1993 |
74 |
14.8 |
3 |
0.6
|
| Ronald Reagan (R) |
1981 - 1989 |
393 |
43.7 |
13 |
1.4
|
| Jimmy Carter (D) |
1977 - 1981 |
534 |
106.8 |
29 |
5.8
|
| Gerald Ford (R) |
1975 - 1977 |
382 |
127.3 |
22 |
7.3
|
| Richard Nixon (R) |
1969 - 1974 |
863 |
143.8 |
60 |
10
|
| Lyndon Johnson (D) |
1964 - 1969 |
960 |
160 |
226 |
37.7
|
| John F. Kennedy (D) |
1961 - 1964 |
472 |
118 |
100 |
25
|
| Dwight Eisenhower (R) |
1953 - 1961 |
1100 |
122.2 |
47 |
5.2
|
| Harry Truman (D) |
1945 - 1953 |
1913 |
212.5 |
118 |
13.1
|
| Franklin Roosevelt (D) |
1934 - 1945 |
2819 |
234.9 |
488 |
40.7
|
| Herbert Hoover (R) |
1930 - 1933 |
672 |
168 |
405 |
101.2
|
| Calvin Coolidge (R) |
1924 - 1929 |
773 |
128.8 |
773 |
128.8
|
| Warren Harding (R) |
1922 - 1923 |
300 |
150 |
386 |
193
|
| Woodrow Wilson (D) |
1914 - 1921 |
1087 |
135.9 |
1366 |
170.75
|
| William H. Taft (R) |
1910 - 1913 |
383 |
95.75 |
361 |
90.25
|
| Theodore Roosevelt (R) |
1902 - 1909 |
668 |
83.5 |
363 |
45.4
|
| Source: Department of Justice, "Clemency Statistics," accessed Sept. 2, 2025
|
Donald Trump (R) - II
- Total pardons: 58
- Annual average of pardons: 58
- Total commutations: 26
- Annual average of commutations: 26
Joe Biden (D)
- Total pardons: 80
- Annual average of pardons: 20
- Total commutations: 4,165
- Annual average of commutations: 1041.3
Donald Trump (R) - I
- Total pardons: 143
- Annual average of pardons: 35.8
- Total commutations: 94
- Annual average of commutations: 23.5
Barack Obama (D)
- Total pardons: 212
- Annual average of pardons: 26.5
- Total commutations: 1,715
- Annual average of commutations: 214.4
George W. Bush (R)
- Total pardons: 189
- Annual average of pardons: 21
- Total commutations: 11
- Annual average of commutations: 1.2
Bill Clinton (D)
- Total pardons: 396
- Annual average of pardons: 44
- Total commutations: 61
- Annual average of commutations: 6.8
George H.W. Bush (R)
- Total pardons: 74
- Annual average of pardons: 14.8
- Total commutations: 3
- Annual average of commutations: 0.6
Ronald Reagan (R)
- Total pardons: 393
- Annual average of pardons: 43.7
- Total commutations: 13
- Annual average of commutations: 1.4
Jimmy Carter (D)
- Total pardons: 534
- Annual average of pardons: 106.8
- Total commutations: 29
- Annual average of commutations: 5.8
Gerald Ford (R)
- Total pardons: 382
- Annual average of pardons: 127.3
- Total commutations: 22
- Annual average of commutations: 7.3
Richard Nixon (R)
- Total pardons: 863
- Annual average of pardons: 143.8
- Total commutations: 60
- Annual average of commutations: 10
Lyndon Johnson (D)
- Total pardons: 960
- Annual average of pardons: 160
- Total commutations: 226
- Annual average of commutations: 37.7
John F. Kennedy (D)
- Total pardons: 472
- Annual average of pardons: 118
- Total commutations: 100
- Annual average of commutations: 25
Dwight Eisenhower (R)
- Total pardons: 1,100
- Annual average of pardons: 122.2
- Total commutations: 47
- Annual average of commutations: 5.2
Harry S. Truman (D)
- Total pardons: 1,913
- Annual average of pardons: 212.5
- Total commutations: 118
- Annual average of commutations: 13.1
Franklin Roosevelt (D)
- Total pardons: 2,819
- Annual average of pardons: 234.9
- Total commutations: 488
- Annual average of commutations: 40.7
Herbert Hoover (R)
- Total pardons: 672
- Annual average of pardons: 168
- Total commutations: 405
- Annual average of commutations: 101.2
Calvin Coolidge (R)
- Total pardons: 773
- Annual average of pardons: 128.8
- Total commutations: 773
- Annual average of commutations: 128.8
Warren Harding (R)
- Total pardons: 300
- Annual average of pardons: 150
- Total commutations: 386
- Annual average of commutations: 193
Woodrow Wilson (D)
- Total pardons: 1,087
- Annual average of pardons: 135.9
- Total commutations: 1,366
- Annual average of commutations: 170.75
William H. Taft (R)
- Total pardons: 383
- Annual average of pardons: 95.75
- Total commutations: 361
- Annual average of commutations: 90.25
Theodore Roosevelt (R)
- Total pardons: 668
- Annual average of pardons: 83.5
- Total commutations: 363
- Annual average of commutations: 45.4
Presidential pardons and commutations during final months of presidency
Historically, presidents often issue a significant number of pardons and commutations during their final months in office. The section below tracks the number of pardons and commutations issued by each president since 1974 during the time period from election day in their final term to the inauguration of their successor. This section was last updated on January 21, 2025.
See also
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 Department of Justice, "Clemency Grants by President Donald J. Trump (2025-Present)," accessed June 12, 2025
- ↑ Cite error: Invalid
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- ↑ Ginsberg, B. (2016). Presidential Government, New Haven, CT: Yale University Press
- ↑ Department of Justice, "About the Office of the Pardon Attorney," accessed November 11, 2016
- ↑ Presidential Studies Quarterly, "Executive Clemency in the United States: Origins, Development, and Analysis (1900-1993)," 1997
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.
- ↑ The Heritage Foundation, "The President's Broad Power to Pardon and Commute," July 9, 2007
- ↑ Constitution Center, "Edward Snowden, the Constitution and presidential pardons," September 14, 2016
- ↑ Congressional Research Service, "Presidential Pardons: Overview and Selected Legal Issues," January 14, 2020
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