Trump grants clemency to 30 people

Key facts

• President Donald Trump granted clemency to 30 individuals.
• The clemency actions were announced by White House pardon czar Alice Marie Johnson.
• Emory Jones, an associate of Jay-Z, was among the recipients.
• Jones had served nearly 16 years in federal prison on drug charges.
• Other recipients included a former union boss and an ex-Navy sailor.

President Donald Trump granted clemency to 30 individuals this week, including Emory Jones, a longtime associate of rap mogul Jay-Z. White House 'pardon czar' Alice Marie Johnson announced the actions on Friday, stating that Jones had served nearly 16 years in federal prison on drug charges.

Jones was released in 2010 after Jay-Z wrote a letter on his behalf to a judge. Since his release, Jones has worked as an executive at Jay-Z's Roc Nation entertainment company and co-founded the Paper Planes clothing brand.

The New York Times reported that other recipients of clemency included a former Philadelphia union boss convicted of bribery and an ex-Navy sailor imprisoned for firearms offenses. Trump has now granted pardons or commutations to over 1,700 people since the start of his second White House term in January 2025.