On Monday, President Donald Trump issued a full and unconditional pardon to former Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich. Trump had previously commuted Blagojevich’s 14-year prison sentence during his first term in office, and this latest move fully clears his record.
“He was set up by a lot of bad people,” Trump said from the Oval Office as he signed the pardon. “Some of the same people that I had to deal with. He wasn’t quite as successful, but he had somebody that saw what was going on. I didn’t know him, but I believe he was on The Apprentice.” Blagojevich had appeared on Celebrity Apprentice.
Moments ago, President Trump signs a full and unconditional pardon for former Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich… pic.twitter.com/goGySF3sEH
— Dan Scavino (@Scavino47) February 10, 2025
Blagojevich was convicted in 2011 for attempting to sell an appointment to the U.S. Senate seat left vacant when Barack Obama won the presidency in 2008. Prosecutors also accused him of trying to pressure a children’s hospital into making donations in exchange for state funding, according to the Associated Press.
He served eight years in prison before Trump commuted his sentence in 2020. Trump had drawn parallels between Blagojevich’s prosecution and his own legal battles, particularly the investigations into Russian collusion.
Since taking office, Trump has signed hundreds of pardons. Among the most notable were more than 1,500 individuals prosecuted by the Biden administration’s Department of Justice for their involvement in the January 6, 2021, Capitol riot.
Before leaving office, President Joe Biden issued several controversial pardons, including for his son, who had been convicted on gun and tax charges, as well as for other family members such as his brother and sister.