Overview
- The White House convened a meeting Friday to review clemency recommendations and the president was expected to decide based on advisers’ input.
- Pardons team recommendations were reported to focus narrowly on Clean Air Act and emissions convictions while the president separately discussed requests for Sean “Diddy” Combs, Pras Michel, and Malaysian financier Jho Low.
- An internal proposal to issue as many as 250 pardons tied to America’s 250th anniversary has circulated inside the administration but has not been approved or finalized.
- This review follows earlier moves by the administration, including last year’s pardon of Troy Lake and a Justice Department order in 2026 to dismiss remaining ‘defeat device’ pollution prosecutions.
- The White House emphasized that the president is the ultimate decider on clemency and any mass or high-profile pardons could prompt intense lobbying, legal debate, and public backlash.