President Donald Trump has granted executive clemency to more than 1,600 individuals as of his second term, encompassing high-profile pardons, commutations, and a blanket pardon for approximately 1,500 people charged or convicted in connection with the January 6, 2021 Capitol attack.
Lyrics by David Cohen, sung by Mikael Vanhanen
Executive Producers Don Caron and Jerry Pender
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LYRICS by David Cohen
Inspired by “Follow Me” (John Denver)
Pardon me when I go, what the hell, let ‘em know
Make it hard for them to try my evil deeds.
Pardon me shake ‘em down
all the greed will astound,
pay a grand and I shall pardon thee.
I’ve long been in a bind,
you know I’d serve a long, long time,
I tried to find a way to help me stay out of the pen
The things I do are not new,
but there’s something that you can do
to be there holding cash in hand
when there’s pardons to be found.
Pardon me when I go, what the hell, let ‘em know
Make it hard for them to try my evil deeds.
Pardon me shake ‘em down
all the greed will astound,
pay a grand and I shall pardon thee.
You see I’ll never share the truth with you
Or tell you where I’ve been,
Islands too forbidden now
Places where I’ve sinned
To leave that all behind me
yet never to atone
and all the crimes that you can see,
are ones I’ll never own
Pardon me when I go, things I did, who will know
Make it hard for them to try my evil deeds.
Pardon me shake ‘em down,
all the greed…
Pay a grand and I shall pardon thee.
MORE about Trump’s Pardons
High-Profile and Political Pardons
January 6 Blanket Pardon: On his first day in office, Trump issued a blanket pardon covering approximately 1,500 individuals charged or convicted in connection with the U.S. Capitol attack.
Election Overturn Allies: In late 2025, Trump issued pardons to prominent political allies facing state-level charges and investigations for their efforts to overturn the 2020 election.
Controversial Figures: Trump’s clemency roster has also featured international figures, such as a former Honduran president convicted of drug trafficking, and figures like former Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich.
White-Collar Crime and Fraud
Trump has issued pardons and commutations to over 70 individuals convicted of fraud, money laundering, and financial crimes. Notable examples include:Trevor Milton: The founder of Nikola who was convicted of wire fraud; his pardon wiped out over $600 million in court-ordered restitution that he owed investors.
Binance Executives: Cryptocurrency figures, including Binance co-founder Changpeng Zhao, received pardons related to violations of the Bank Secrecy Act.
Restitution and Financial Impact
Unlike traditional presidential pardons, Trump’s use of executive clemency has frequently included the remittance of court-ordered fines, asset forfeitures, and restitution. According to watchdog analyses and the U.S. Department of Justice, these cancellations have cost victims and taxpayers well over $1.3 billion.
Official ResourcesFor a complete, searchable breakdown of clemency grants, warrants, and commutations, you can review the U.S. Department of Justice Clemency Grants directory.