The Department of Justice official announced on the 9th (local time) that U.S. President Donald Trump has pardoned a large number of his associates, including former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani, who had raised allegations of fraud in the 2020 presidential election.

Ed Martin, the pardon attorney for the U.S. Department of Justice, posted a declaration of a "full and unconditional" pardon on his X (formerly Twitter) account that night.

The list of individuals pardoned includes approximately 77 names, such as former Mayor Giuliani, conservative lawyers Sidney Powell and John Eastman, and former White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows.

The document described the indictments against those involved in the 2020 election scheme as a "grave national injustice inflicted upon the American people" and stated that this pardon declaration was designed to continue the "process of national reconciliation."

The document is dated November 7th and bears President Trump's signature at the end.

This pardon applies only to federal crimes and does not extend to state or local charges.

It is also specified that the pardon does not apply to the president himself.

Given that none of the individuals included in the document have been convicted of federal crimes, this pardon is being interpreted as largely symbolic. However, it could serve to prevent future administrations from indicting them as co-conspirators.

Giuliani, who served as the mayor of New York City, acted as President Trump's personal lawyer from April 2018. After the 2020 presidential election, he was indicted in Georgia along with President Trump and former Chief of Staff Meadows on charges related to attempts to overturn the election results.

In January, President Trump pardoned over 1,500 of his supporters indicted in connection with the "January 6th Capitol riot" and commuted the sentences of 14 others.

Yonhap News