Trump Eyes 250 Pardons To Mark America'S 250th Birthday

President Donald Trump (@realDonaldTrump) is weighing a plan to issue 250 pardons to mark a milestone in American history. White House officials are considering whether Trump should issue 250 pardons as a way to mark the celebration of the nation's 250th birthday this summer, according to The Wall Street Journal.

Timing and Scale

The pardons could be announced on June 14, which falls on Trump's birthday and the Flag Day holiday, or on July 4. The plan is still in preliminary discussions but, if carried out, would expand Trump's already wide use of the pardon power. No final decision has been made, and White House spokespeople have not commented publicly on the Journal's report.

Such liberal use of constitutional power has led to a record number of pardon requests, with more than 16,000 formal requests submitted last year, according to DOJ data analyzed by The Wall Street Journal. That volume underscores just how competitive any selection process is likely to be.

Trump's Pardon Record So Far

On his first day back in office, Trump issued pardons to over 1,500 of those involved in the storming of the Capitol. Trump has also announced several high-profile pardons during his second term, including Binance founder Changpeng Zhao, Silk Road founder Ross Ulbricht, and former Nikola CEO Trevor Milton.

Reports indicate that even some within the Trump administration have raised concerns that issuing too high a number of pardons could affect Republicans in the midterm elections. The WSJ report did not mention specific individuals being considered, and noted that staffers in Trump's orbit are pushing back on the plan.

Sources:
Political Wire: White House Explores 250 Pardons on July 4th
Yahoo News: Trump Wants to Pardon 250 People for America's 250th Birthday
Mediaite: Trump Eyeing Mass Pardoning Spree on His Birthday, Reports the WSJ