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★ Government Action

Trump pardons Silk Road founder Ross Ulbricht on Day One

Libertarian Political InfluenceTrump Pardons

Filed January 2025

★ The Brief

What happened

Trump signed a full, unconditional clemency grant for Ross Ulbricht on January 21, 2025, his first full day in office, ending the life sentence Ulbricht received in 2015 for creating and running Silk Road, an online marketplace for illegal drugs.

Who enabled it

Who benefits

On January 21, 2025, his first full day in office, President Donald Trump signed a full and unconditional pardon for Ross Ulbricht, founder of Silk Road, an underground website used for illegal drug sales. Ulbricht had been sentenced to life in prison in 2015 following a high-profile federal prosecution. Trump announced the pardon on Truth Social, noting he had spoken with Ulbricht's mother. Trump had pledged to support Ulbricht's release during a speech at the Libertarian Party National Convention in May 2024. The Libertarian National Committee celebrated the pardon as fulfillment of a top advocacy priority.

Actors

Who pushed it · 2

Who initiated, paid, or pushed the action.

  • Donald Trump
    Donald Trump

    Signed and announced a full and unconditional pardon for Ross Ulbricht on his first full day in office, fulfilling a promise made to Libertarian Party convention attendees in May 2024.

  • Libertarian National Committee

    Championed the 'Free Ross' cause as a top political priority and mobilized Libertarian activists in support of Trump, contributing to political pressure that preceded the pardon.

Beneficiaries

Who gained · 1

Who stood to gain.

  • Ross Ulbricht
    Ross Ulbricht

    Received a full and unconditional pardon, releasing him from a life sentence imposed in 2015 for his role founding and operating the Silk Road darknet marketplace.

Sources

Further reading