He said it in public. These are the documents on what happened next. Browse all records.
Why these cases
Trump sold “America First.” This record traces how public money, power, and risk moved toward family businesses, donors, favored firms, and foreign governments: and what workers, ranchers, retirees, patients, veterans, and small investors were left to absorb.
Silk Road: Ulbricht clemency promise, pardon and drug-harm court record
Actions
documentedThe Justice Department records Trump’s January 21, 2025 pardon of Silk Road founder Ross William Ulbricht. The roster lists his May 29, 2015 life sentence and offenses involving internet drug distribution, a continuing criminal enterprise, computer-hacking conspiracy, identification-document fraud and money-laundering conspiracy.U.S. Department of JusticeRead record · 1 source
Outcomes
reportedThe Associated Press reported that Silk Road founder Ross Ulbricht spoke at the Republican convention on September 10, 2026, and thanked Trump for pardoning him.Associated PressRead record · 1 source
People and impacts
Who gained
Ross Ulbricht, recipient of the Silk Road pardon
Who paid or was affected
documentedThe Justice Department’s May 29, 2015 sentencing account describes original Silk Road operating from January 2011 until October 2013. It reports nearly 13,000 controlled-substance listings on September 23, 2013, and more than 60 undercover purchases between November 2011 and September 2013, including heroin, cocaine, ecstasy and LSD.Open cited record
Legal status
documentedOn May 31, 2017, the Second Circuit upheld consideration at sentencing of six drug-related deaths connected to Silk Road by a preponderance of the evidence. It distinguished this from homicide prosecution or a finding that Ulbricht personally caused the deaths. It concluded the evidence played a minimal role, if any, and the same sentence would have been imposed without it.U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second CircuitRead record · 1 source
Promise and assessment
The promise
documentedAt the Libertarian convention on May 25, 2024, Trump promised to commute Silk Road founder Ross Ulbricht’s sentence to time served on his first day in office if elected.Roll Call / Factba.seRead record · 1 source
Promise kept
Trump delivered the substance of his Silk Road clemency promise by granting Ross Ulbricht a pardon on January 21, 2025, rather than only commuting his sentence. The grant occurred on the second day of his term, after the promised first-day timing. The earlier drug-market and sentencing record remains distinct from this clemency decision; Ulbricht later thanked Trump at the September 2026 convention.