Lobbyists and pardon brokers in Washington are fielding a flood of calls as the Trump White House reportedly develops a plan to issue 250 presidential pardons in time for Independence Day, a symbolic gesture pegged to the nation's semiquincentennial. The White House says no decision has been made. But the mere prospect has set off a scramble among convicted felons, their attorneys, and well-connected intermediaries jockeying for a spot on the list.

The concept, branded internally as "250 pardons for 250 years", would mark the largest single batch of clemency actions in modern presidential history if carried out. The Wall Street Journal first reported the plan last month. Since then, The Atlantic spoke with multiple current and former Trump officials, lobbyists, and attorneys who described an informal pardon pipeline that has largely bypassed the Department of Justice's Office of the Pardon Attorney, the body traditionally charged with vetting clemency petitions.

The White House pushed back on the framing. A spokesperson told the Daily Mail:

"While there are always ongoing policy conversations about how to best act on the President's priorities, no decisions have been made nor has any action been taken."

That denial leaves plenty of room. And the activity around the plan suggests it is more than idle chatter.

A rush to file, and a rush to charge

The rumored pardons have already drawn high-profile applicants. The Washington Examiner reported that Martin Shkreli, the pharmaceutical executive convicted of securities fraud, cited the "250 pardons for 250 years" idea as a catalyst for filing his clemency petition. Elizabeth Holmes, the disgraced Theranos founder, has also filed. Holmes responded to Shkreli's announcement with a quip: "May the odds be ever in your favor."

That two of the most notorious white-collar convicts of the past decade are now openly competing for presidential mercy tells you something about how seriously Washington is taking this trial balloon.

Trump's advisers are divided on the wisdom of the move. Newsmax reported that some administration insiders have raised concerns about issuing a large batch of pardons ahead of the midterm elections. Others see the gesture as a show of mercy consistent with Trump's instincts. Potential announcement dates under discussion include June 14, Flag Day and Trump's birthday, or the Fourth of July itself.

Trump acknowledged the demand in remarks to reporters. "I have a lot of people who've asked me for pardons," he said.

The informal pipeline

What has drawn the sharpest scrutiny is not the number of pardons under consideration but the process, or lack of one. Sources familiar with the operation told The Atlantic that the DOJ's Office of the Pardon Attorney, which normally evaluates cases and makes recommendations to the president, has been sidelined. In its place, an informal network of lobbyists, attorneys, and individuals in Trump's orbit has emerged as the de facto gatekeeping mechanism.

The alleged price tag is steep. One unnamed attorney described $2 million as the cost to secure a pardon. Others in Trump's circle, some with no legal experience, cited a "going rate" of $1 million to $2 million. These figures come from unnamed sources and have not been confirmed by the White House or any law enforcement body. But the claims, if accurate, raise serious questions about whether clemency is being treated as a commodity.

The Trump administration has already taken bold steps to reshape federal enforcement priorities, including a DOJ plan to create a $1.7 billion fund for those prosecuted under the Biden administration. That initiative drew its own share of controversy. A mass pardon plan would add another layer.

Two figures are reportedly driving the effort from inside the administration: Alice Johnson, widely described as Trump's "Pardon Czar," and DOJ attorney Edward R. Martin Jr. Johnson, whose own life sentence was commuted by Trump during his first term, has reportedly been advocating for the "250 for 250" idea. Martin's precise title and role within the DOJ remain unclear from available reporting.

Trump's pardon record in the second term

The proposed batch would add to an already expansive clemency record. Trump has pardoned more than 1,700 individuals in his second term, beginning with January 6 defendants shortly after returning to the White House last January. He also pardoned reality TV stars Todd and Julie Chrisley, who were imprisoned on fraud and tax evasion convictions. And he commuted the sentence of former Republican Representative George Santos last year.

For context, Joe Biden pardoned 80 individuals and commuted sentences for more than 4,100 people during his presidency. Trump's second-term total already dwarfs Biden's pardon count, though Biden's commutation figure remains far higher.

The book *Regime Change*, co-authored by Maggie Haberman and Jonathan Swan, reports that Trump told confidantes he would pardon "anyone who came within 250 feet of the Oval Office." That line, even if offered in jest, captures the expansive view of executive clemency that has defined Trump's approach.

Meanwhile, the DOJ under Trump has been active on multiple fronts. A recent DOJ task force report accused the Biden administration of targeting Christians through federal agencies, signaling a broader effort to revisit prosecutorial decisions made under the prior administration.

Political risk and political reward

Supporters of the plan argue that a sweeping clemency event would resonate with Trump's base. Criminal justice reform, particularly the idea that too many Americans are locked up for too long, has found bipartisan traction in recent years. Trump signed the First Step Act during his first term, earning praise from both sides of the aisle. A 250-pardon event could be framed as a continuation of that legacy.

But the risks are real. If the pardon list includes individuals convicted of violent offenses, or if the selection process looks driven by access and money rather than merit, the political fallout could be significant, especially with midterms on the horizon. Some administration insiders have flagged exactly that concern.

The broader question is whether the informal pipeline described by The Atlantic represents a genuine breakdown in the clemency process. The Office of the Pardon Attorney exists for a reason: to vet cases, weigh the severity of offenses, and ensure that pardons reflect something more than political connections. If that office has been effectively bypassed, the administration owes the public an explanation of what replaced it, and why.

The political dynamics in Washington are already strained. Senate Republicans recently hit the brakes on ICE and Border Patrol funding after a separate DOJ initiative sparked a closed-door revolt. A mass pardon event could deepen those tensions or, depending on execution, ease them.

What remains unanswered

Several critical questions remain open. Has Trump himself reviewed or approved the plan, or is it still at the staff level? What categories of offenses are being considered? Are the alleged pardon fees, $1 million to $2 million, being investigated by any law enforcement body? And who, specifically, is making the cut?

The White House has offered only a general denial. No decisions made. No action taken. That language is carefully chosen. It neither confirms nor kills the plan.

Trump's administration has shown a willingness to take dramatic action across multiple fronts, from securing the handover of a Maduro ally with reported CIA assistance to reshaping DOJ priorities wholesale. A 250-pardon event would fit that pattern, bold, symbolic, and guaranteed to dominate a news cycle.

The pardon power belongs to the president. The Constitution is clear on that. But how that power is exercised, through careful review or through a network of paid intermediaries, tells the country something about whether mercy is being dispensed or sold. If the White House wants the former, it should prove it before the ink dries.