President Trump has exercised his constitutional pardon authority extensively since January 2025, granting clemency to over 1,700 individuals including January 6 defendants, political allies, and others tied to federal cases. Recent actions include October 2026 pardons issued onstage at an Alaska rally for Clean Air Act violations and ongoing White House discussions about preemptive protections for junior staff facing potential probes. These developments align with patterns of bypassing traditional Department of Justice review in favor of direct grants to supporters. With midterms approaching in November 2026 and continued appeals from conservative groups, trader consensus on near-term clemency reflects the established pace of executive actions rather than isolated events.