List of people pardoned by a United States president

The following is a partial list of people pardoned or granted clemency by the President of the United States.

In accordance with the United States Constitution's Article II, Section 2, Clause 1, presidents are vested "power to grant reprieves and pardons for offenses against the United States, except in cases of impeachment." The president exercises broad authority, in granting federal pardons. The president can issue a full pardon; reversing a criminal conviction as if it never happened. The president can commute a criminal sentence, lessening its severity, its duration, or both while leaving a record of the conviction in place. Or the president can make a pardon conditional, or vacate a conviction while leaving parts of the sentence in place, like the payment of fines or restitution. U.S. presidents have no power to grant clemency for crimes prosecuted under state or local law or for civil offenses.

Approximately 20,000 pardons and commutations were issued by U.S. presidents in the 20th century alone. Pardons granted by presidents from George Washington until Grover Cleveland's first term (1885–1889) were hand written by the president; thereafter, pardons were prepared for the president by administrative staff requiring only that the president sign it. The records of these Presidential acts were openly available for public inspection until 1934. In 1981 the Office of the Pardon Attorney was created and records from President George H. W. Bush forward are now listed.

This list includes pardons and commutations of various notable subjects or historically significant people.

President George Washington pardoned, commuted or rescinded the convictions of 16 people. Among them are:

Federalist President John Adams pardoned, commuted or rescinded the convictions of 21 people. Among them are:

Democratic-Republican President Thomas Jefferson pardoned, commuted or rescinded the convictions of 119 people. One of his first acts upon taking office was to issue a general pardon for any person convicted under the Sedition Act. Among them are:

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