Trump to Pardon Ex-Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich Again

Trump to Pardon Ex-Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich Again \ Newslooks \ Washington DC \ Mary Sidiqi \ Evening Edition \ President Donald Trump is set to pardon former Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich on Monday, according to a source familiar with the decision. Blagojevich, a Democrat, was convicted in 2011 on corruption charges, including attempting to sell Barack Obama’s former Senate seat. Trump commuted his 14-year sentence in 2020, freeing him after eight years behind bars. The pardon follows Trump’s recent clemency for more than 1,500 individuals charged in the Jan. 6 Capitol riot, including members of far-right extremist groups. Axios first reported news of the expected pardon.

Trump to Pardon Rod Blagojevich: Quick Looks

• Trump will issue a full pardon for ex-Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich on Monday, according to sources.
• Blagojevich was convicted in 2011 for corruption, including trying to sell Barack Obama’s former Senate seat.
• Trump previously commuted Blagojevich’s 14-year sentence in 2020, freeing him after eight years in prison.
• The pardon follows Trump’s mass clemency orders, which included over 1,500 people convicted in the Jan. 6 riot.
• Trump has long defended Blagojevich, calling his prosecution politically motivated and comparing it to his own legal battles.
• Blagojevich appeared on Trump’s “Celebrity Apprentice” in 2010, shortly before his corruption trial.
• Federal prosecutors involved in Blagojevich’s case later played key roles in investigating Trump, fueling Trump’s grievances.
• Axios first reported the planned pardon, which will fully clear Blagojevich’s criminal record.

Deep Look

Blagojevich to Receive Presidential Pardon

President Donald Trump will issue a full pardon for former Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich on Monday, according to a person familiar with the decision.

Blagojevich, a Democrat who served as governor from 2003 to 2009, was convicted on multiple corruption charges, including trying to sell an appointment to then-President Barack Obama’s former Senate seat.

In 2020, during his first term, Trump commuted Blagojevich’s 14-year prison sentence, allowing him to be released after serving eight years behind bars.

Now, just weeks into his second term, Trump plans to issue a full pardon, clearing Blagojevich’s criminal record entirely.

Blagojevich’s Corruption Scandal and Conviction

Blagojevich was arrested in December 2008 while still in office. Federal prosecutors accused him of:

• Trying to sell Obama’s vacant U.S. Senate seat to the highest bidder
• Extorting a children’s hospital for campaign donations
• Attempting to leverage state funding in exchange for political favors

He was removed from office in 2009, convicted in 2011 on 18 counts of corruption, and sentenced to 14 years in federal prison.

In 2015, the 7th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals overturned five of the convictions, including those related to his attempt to secure a high-paying Senate appointment for himself. However, his sentence remained largely unchanged.

Trump’s Ties to Blagojevich

Blagojevich’s relationship with Trump dates back to 2010, when he appeared as a contestant on Trump’s reality TV show “Celebrity Apprentice.” Trump eliminated him early in the season but praised him at the time.

During his first term, Trump repeatedly compared Blagojevich’s prosecution to his own legal troubles, calling it an unfair political attack.

“Many people thought the sentence was unfair,” Trump said in 2020 when he commuted Blagojevich’s sentence.

Trump’s hostility toward the federal prosecutors involved in the case also played a role in his decision.

• Patrick Fitzgerald, the U.S. attorney who prosecuted Blagojevich, later represented former FBI Director James Comey—whom Trump fired in 2017.
• Robert Mueller, who led the Russia investigation into Trump’s 2016 campaign, was FBI director during Blagojevich’s prosecution.

These connections fueled Trump’s narrative that Blagojevich was targeted by the same officials who later investigated him.

Timing of the Pardon: Trump’s Recent Clemency Wave

Trump’s decision to pardon Blagojevich comes shortly after his sweeping clemency orders.

On his first day back in office, Trump granted pardons or commutations to more than 1,500 people, including individuals convicted in the Jan. 6 Capitol riot. Among those freed were far-right extremist group leaders convicted of attempting to overturn the 2020 election results.

Trump’s second-term approach to presidential pardons appears to be more aggressive, as he has repeatedly criticized past federal prosecutions as politically motivated.

Blagojevich’s Post-Prison Life and Reaction

Since his release from prison in 2020, Blagojevich has:

• Maintained his innocence, calling himself a victim of a broken justice system.
• Rebranded himself as a Trump supporter, frequently defending Trump on social media.
• Filed lawsuits challenging his conviction and disbarment from practicing law.

Blagojevich has not yet publicly commented on the upcoming pardon, but his supporters have long argued for his full exoneration.

What’s Next?

• Trump is expected to sign the official pardon document Monday afternoon.
• Blagojevich’s criminal record will be wiped clean, restoring all rights stripped by his felony conviction.
• The pardon may fuel further debate over Trump’s use of executive clemency, particularly in cases with personal or political ties.

With Trump freely wielding his pardon power early in his second term, many are watching to see who else could receive clemency next.

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