President Trump this week pardoned Rudy Giuliani, Mark Meadows and others accused of trying to overturn the 2020 election, extending a clemency streak that recently reached former Rep. George Santos and ex-Binance CEO Changpeng Zhao. Scholars say his second-term pardons have a conspicuous insider tilt and overt political messaging, amplified by his inauguration-day relief for about 1,500 Jan. 6 defendants. While the White House defends the moves, the official process remains murky, with a new pardon attorney in place and questions about whether petitions through the traditional process are getting heard.

Prepared by Lauren Mitchell and reviewed by editorial team.