U.S. Department
of Justice
Past Clemency Action and Statistics (2009-2025)
What clemency actions did President Biden take?
| Action | Commutations | Pardons |
|---|---|---|
| Grants | 1,118 applied through the | 66 applied through the |
| Denials | 10,375 | 3,500 |
| Administrative Closures* | 9,573 | 318 |
* The Office of the Pardon Attorney closed the case without Presidential action due to the petitioner’s death, release from custody, or other administrative reason.
How many clemency applications were submitted to the Office of the Pardon Attorney during the Biden Administration?
| Commutations | Pardons | Total |
|---|---|---|
| 13,201 | 1,666 | 14,867 |
What happened to the clemency applications that were submitted to the Office of the Pardon Attorney during the Biden Administration (2021-2025)?
| Outcome | Commutation and Pardon Applications |
|---|---|
| Granted | 6% |
| Denied | 37% |
| Administratively Closed | 26% |
| Continued into the Next Administration | 31% |
What clemency actions did President Trump take?
| Action | Commutations | Pardons |
|---|---|---|
| Grants | 69 applied through the | 60 applied through the |
| Denials | 98 | 82 |
| Administrative Closures* | 7,498 | 625 |
* The Office of the Pardon Attorney closed the case without Presidential action due to the petitioner’s death, release from custody, or other administrative reason.
How many clemency applications were submitted to the Office of the Pardon Attorney during the Trump Administration?
| Commutations | Pardons | Total |
|---|---|---|
| 10,109 | 1,969 | 12,078 |
What happened to the clemency applications that were submitted to the Office of the Pardon Attorney during the Trump Administration (2017-2021)?
| Outcome | Commutation and Pardon Applications |
|---|---|
| Granted | 1% |
| Denied | 1% |
| Administratively Closed | 22% |
| Continued into the Next Administration | 76% |
What clemency actions did President Obama take?
| Action | Commutations | Pardons |
|---|---|---|
| Grants | 1,690 applied through the | 208 applied through the |
| Denials | 18,749 | 1,708 |
| Administrative Closures* | 4,252 | 508 |
* The Office of the Pardon Attorney closed the case without Presidential action due to the petitioner’s death, release from custody, or other administrative reason.
How many clemency applications were submitted to the Office of the Pardon Attorney during the Obama Administration?
| Commutations | Pardons | Total |
|---|---|---|
| 33,149 | 3,395 | 36,544 |
What happened to the clemency applications that were submitted to the Office of the Pardon Attorney during the Obama Administration (2009-2017)?
| Outcome | Commutation and Pardon Applications |
|---|---|
| Granted | 5% |
| Denied | 52% |
| Administratively Closed | 12% |
| Continued into the Next Administration | 31% |