How many pardons did Joe Biden award?

Presidential Clemency: How Joe Biden’s Record Compares

Presidential clemency is one of the most significant executive powers granted to the U.S. commander-in-chief. Over the years, leaders have used this authority in dramatically different ways. During his tenure from 2021 to 2025, Joe Biden granted 4,244 acts of clemency, placing him among the most active modern presidents in issuing criminal justice relief.

To put this number into perspective, Biden's total far exceeds those of his immediate predecessors. For instance, Barack Obama granted 1,927 acts of clemency across his eight years in office (2009–2017), while Donald Trump recorded 1,700 acts during his presidency. Going further back, George W. Bush used executive mercy far more sparingly, issuing just 200 pardons or commutations over his two terms from 2001 to 2009.

While presidential clemency encompasses both full pardons and sentence commutations, Biden's high numbers were largely driven by thousands of commutations for nonviolent offenses alongside individual pardons. Compared to the lower historical averages seen in recent decades, these figures highlight how dramatically each administration's approach to second chances and criminal justice reform can vary.