Trump Considers 250 Pardons for U.S. 250th Anniversary

U.S. President Donald Trump is considering granting up to 250 pardons as part of celebrations for the nation's 250th anniversary of independence, with a possible announcement on June 14, his birthday, or July 4 next year, according to people familiar with the discussions.

The White House plans remain in early stages, and no final decisions have been made, a White House official said. More than 16,000 pardon applications were submitted last year, reflecting a surge in requests during Trump's second term. Trump has already issued over 1,500 pardons on his first day back in office last year, primarily to individuals convicted in connection with the January 6, 2021, Capitol events.

The cryptocurrency industry is closely monitoring the developments, given Trump's prior use of clemency for several high-profile figures in the sector. Last year, he pardoned BitMEX co-founders Arthur Hayes, Benjamin Delo, and Samuel Reed, who had pleaded guilty to violations of the Bank Secrecy Act related to anti-money laundering and know-your-customer failures. Binance founder Changpeng Zhao received a pardon in 2025 after serving four months in prison for similar failures at his exchange. Silk Road...