Washington: The Trump administration has quietly rejected nearly 6,000 federal clemency applications, ending months of speculation that US President Donald Trump would announce a large-scale round of pardons and sentence commutations to coincide with America’s 250th Independence celebrations.

According to internal US Justice Department records reviewed by The New York Times, thousands of people seeking presidential pardons or sentence commutations were informed earlier this month that their applications had been denied after completing the formal federal clemency review process.

Nearly 6,000 requests denied

The mass denials began on July 10 and were formally communicated through a July 14 letter sent by US Pardon Attorney Ed Martin to federal prosecutors across the country.

The letter reportedly cited existing legal provisions governing presidential clemency but did not explain why the applications were rejected. It also did not clarify whether President Donald Trump had personally reviewed each application before the decisions were issued.

Updated records published by the Office of the Pardon Attorney show that more than 300 pardon applications and over 5,600 requests for sentence commutations were rejected during the latest review process. Earlier this year, another 530 clemency applications had also been denied.

The applicants had spent years navigating the Justice Department’s established review system in the hope of receiving presidential relief.

Hopes of large July 4 clemency drive fade

The decisions effectively ended widespread expectations that the White House would announce one of the largest clemency exercises in recent history during America’s semiquincentennial Independence celebrations.

Media reports in recent months had suggested that as many as 250 individuals could receive pardons or commutations around the Fourth of July.

Instead, President Trump signed fewer than 20 pardons on July 3. Those granted clemency included individuals convicted of environmental offences under the Clean Air Act and a political donor.

A White House official later clarified that there had never been an approved plan to issue 250 pardons, describing the number as an internal proposal discussed by staff rather than a decision endorsed by the President.

The administration reiterated that Trump personally makes the final decision on all presidential clemency requests.

Questions over clemency process

The latest round of denials has renewed debate over the Trump administration’s approach to presidential pardons.

Critics argue that Trump’s clemency decisions have often bypassed the Justice Department’s traditional vetting process, with several high-profile pardons benefiting political allies, supporters or individuals backed by influential figures.

One of Trump’s most significant clemency actions came shortly after returning to office, when he granted relief to nearly 1,600 people charged in connection with the January 6, 2021, attack on the US Capitol.

The administration has consistently denied allegations that political influence or lobbying determines pardon decisions.

Legal groups express disappointment

The latest rejections have disappointed legal experts and organisations that help prisoners pursue clemency through official channels.

Earlier this year, Alice Marie Johnson, the White House’s clemency adviser, encouraged law schools and legal aid clinics across the United States to submit applications for individuals they believed deserved a second chance.

The large-scale rejection of applications has now raised fresh concerns among legal advocates about the effectiveness and transparency of the federal clemency review process.

Despite the denials, the US Constitution gives the President broad authority to grant pardons and commute federal sentences at any time, meaning future clemency actions remain possible during Trump’s presidency.

Clemency remains a presidential power

Presidential clemency is one of the broadest constitutional powers available to a US President. It allows the President to issue pardons, which forgive federal crimes, or commute sentences, reducing prison terms without overturning convictions.

While thousands of applications are submitted every year, only a small proportion typically receive presidential approval.

The latest decisions indicate that, for now, the Trump administration is taking a far more restrictive approach than many applicants had anticipated.