Trump Issues Sweeping Pardons for Giuliani, Meadows, Eastman and Other 2020 Election‑Interference Allies
In a surprise move on Nov 10 2025, President Donald Trump granted “full, complete and unconditional” pardons to a slate of former aides and lawyers who were facing federal or state charges for their roles in trying to overturn the 2020 election.
The list, confirmed by Justice Department officials, includes Rudy Giuliani, Mark Meadows, John Eastman, Sidney Powell, Christina Bobb, Boris Epshteyn, and dozens of others — 77 people in total according to one official document.
The pardons wipe out any remaining federal prosecution for these individuals, ending years of legal battles that followed the Jan. 6 attack and the subsequent investigations into the “fake‑electors” scheme. Giuliani, who was already disbarred in Washington and New York, saw his criminal jeopardy erased, while Meadows, who had been a key figure in the White House during the controversy, regained immunity from federal charges.
Legal experts note the clemency covers only federal cases; state prosecutions remain untouched. For example, Arizona and Georgia have still pending indictments against many of the same allies, including Giuliani and Meadows, for allegedly submitting fraudulent elector slates.
The pardons also come amid a broader pattern of Trump’s recent use of clemency, following a wave of pardons for Jan. 6 rioters earlier in 2025, which critics say signals a willingness to shield supporters from accountability.
Trump’s administration framed the action as a “grave national injustice” and a step toward “national reconciliation,” while critics condemned it as a dangerous misuse of presidential power that undermines democratic norms. The move arrives just ahead of the 2026 midterm elections, raising questions about future accountability for election‑related misconduct.
