Washington: Former President Joe Biden has made history by granting a record-setting 8,064 pardons during his tenure, as U.S. presidents have collectively issued clemency more than 45,000 times since 1775. Hours before leaving office, Biden extended pardons to several family members, including James Biden, Sara Jones Biden, Valerie Biden Owens, John T. Owens, and Francis W. Biden, attributing the actions to "politically motivated attacks." This followed his December pardon of his son, Hunter, relating to federal gun charges from 2018.
According to Anadolu Agency, Biden's actions have sparked criticism, yet they are not unprecedented. Donald Trump, on his return to office, pardoned approximately 1,500 individuals linked to the Jan. 6 Capitol riots, raising his total to 1,737 pardons, including 237 from his previous term. The power of the president to grant pardons is enshrined in the U.S. Constitution, allowing for "reprieves and pardons for offenses against the United States," except in cases of impeachment.
The Supreme Court has consistently upheld this broad authority since the 1886 case Ex parte Garland, affirming the president's power to fully or partially forgive convictions, reduce penalties, or modify conditions. Historical data from the U.S. Justice Department indicates over 45,000 executive clemency actions since the early 20th century, illustrating the extensive utilization of presidential pardoning powers.
The tradition began with George Washington in 1795, when he pardoned participants of Pennsylvania's Whiskey Rebellion. Biden, leading with more than 8,000 clemencies, notably included a collective pardon for 6,500 individuals convicted of marijuana possession. Franklin D. Roosevelt is notable for his 3,796 pardons during his presidency, with Woodrow Wilson, Harry Truman, and Calvin Coolidge also among the most prolific users of clemency powers.
Before 1900, Andrew Johnson granted 7,654 clemencies, making him one of the highest in presidential history. Barack Obama issued 1,927 clemencies, the highest for any two-term president since Roosevelt, followed by notable figures like Lyndon B. Johnson, Dwight D. Eisenhower, and Theodore Roosevelt.
On the conservative side, presidents such as James Garfield and William Harrison granted no pardons, with Harrison's short tenure explaining his lack of clemency actions. George H.W. Bush granted just 77 clemencies, while George W. Bush issued 200 pardons, the lowest for any multi-term president. Meanwhile, Bill Clinton, Ronald Reagan, Jimmy Carter, and Gerald Ford granted pardons ranging from 406 to 566, with Richard Nixon, John F. Kennedy, and others adding to the historical record.