Trump pardons Rudy Giuliani and others who backed efforts to overturn his 2020 election loss

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump has pardoned his former personal lawyer Rudy Giuliani, his onetime chief of staff Mark Meadows and others accused of backing the Republican's efforts to overturn the 2020 election.

The “full, complete, and unconditional" pardon for dozens of Trump allies are largely symbolic. It applies only to federal crimes, and none of the people named in the proclamation were ever charged federally over the bid to subvert the election won by Democrat Joe Biden. It doesn't affect state charges, though state prosecutions stemming from the 2020 election have hit a dead end or are just limping along.

The move, however, underscores Trump’s continued efforts to promote the idea that the 2020 election was stolen from him even though courts around the country and Trump's own attorney general at the time found no evidence of fraud that could have affected the outcome. Reviews, recounts and audits of the election in the battleground states where Trump contested his loss also affirmed Biden's victory.

Trump's recent action follows the sweeping pardons of the hundreds of Trump supporters charged in the Jan. 6, 2021, riot at the U.S. Capitol, including those convicted of attacking law enforcement.

Ed Martin, the Department of Justice's point-man on pardons and a former lawyer for Jan. 6 defendants, linked his announcement of the pardons to a post on X that read “No MAGA left behind.”

Among those also pardoned were Sidney Powell, an attorney who promoted baseless conspiracy theories about a stolen election, John Eastman, another lawyer who pushed a plan to keep Trump in power, and Jeffrey Clark, a former Justice Department official who championed Trump’s efforts to challenge his election loss.

Also named were Republicans who acted as fake electors for Trump and were charged in state cases accusing them of submitting false certificates that confirmed they were legitimate electors despite Biden's victory in those states.

The proclamation explicitly says the pardon does not apply to the president himself, who has continued to repeat the lie that the 2020 election was stolen from him, used that falsehood to argue for sweeping changes in the way the country votes and demanded his Department of Justice investigate the vote count that led to his loss.

The pardon described efforts to prosecute the Trump allies as "a grave national injustice perpetrated on the American people” and said the pardons were designed to continue “the process of national reconciliation.” Giuliani and others have denied any wrongdoing, arguing they were simply challenging an election they believed was tainted by fraud.

“These great Americans were persecuted and put through hell by the Biden Administration for challenging an election, which is the cornerstone of democracy,” White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said in an emailed statement.

Those pardoned were not prosecuted by the Biden administration, however. They were charged only by state prosecutors who operate separately from the Justice Department.

An Associated Press investigation after the 2020 election found 475 cases of potential voter fraud across the six battleground states, far too few to change the outcome.

Giuliani, a former New York City mayor, was one of the most vocal supporters of Trump’s unsubstantiated claims of large-scale voter fraud after the 2020 election. He also is an example of the limited impact of the pardons.

Giuliani has been disbarred in Washington, D.C., and New York over his advocacy of Trump’s bogus election claims and lost a $148 million defamation case brought by two former Georgia election workers whose lives were upended by conspiracy theories he pushed. Since pardons only absolve people from legal responsibility for federal crimes, they're unlikely to ease Giuliani's legal woes.

Ted Goodman, a spokesperson for Giuliani, said the former mayor “never sought a pardon but is deeply grateful for President Trump’s decision.”

“Mayor Rudy Giuliani stands by his work following the 2020 presidential election, when he responded to the legitimate concerns of thousands of everyday Americans,” Goodman said in an emailed statement.

While the pardons may have no immediate legal impact, experts warned they send a dangerous message for future elections.

“It is a complete abdication of the responsibility of the federal government to ensure we don’t have future attempts to overturn elections,” said Rick Hasen, a UCLA law professor. “Ultimately, the message it sends is ‘We'll take care of you when the time comes.’”

Trump himself was indicted on federal felony charges accusing him of working to overturn his 2020 election defeat, but the case brought by Justice Department special counsel Jack Smith was abandoned in November after Trump's victory over Democrat Kamala Harris because of the department's policy against prosecuting sitting presidents. Giuliani, Powell, Eastman and Clark were alleged co-conspirators in the federal case brought against Trump but were never charged with federal crimes.

Giuliani, Meadows and others named in the proclamation had been charged by prosecutors in Georgia, Arizona, Michigan, Nevada and Wisconsin over the 2020 election, but the cases have repeatedly hit roadblocks or have been dismissed. A judge in September dismissed the Michigan case against 15 Republicans accused of attempting to falsely certify Trump as the winner of the election in that battleground state.

Eastman, a former dean of Chapman University Law School in Southern California, was a close adviser to Trump in the wake of the 2020 election and wrote a memo laying out steps Vice President Mike Pence could take to stop the counting of electoral votes while presiding over Congress’ joint session on Jan. 6 to keep Trump in office.

Clark, who is now overseeing a federal regulatory office, also is facing possible disbarment in Washington over his advocacy of Trump's claims. Clark clashed with Justice Department superiors over a letter he drafted after the 2020 election that said the department was investigating “various irregularities” and had identified “significant concerns” that may have affected the election in Georgia and other states.

Clark said in a social media post Monday that he “did nothing wrong” and “shouldn't have had to battle this witch hunt for 4+ years.”

Associated Press reporter Nicholas Riccardi in Denver contributed to this report.

President Donald Trump talks with reporters upon his arrival at the White House in Washington, Sunday, Nov. 9, 2025. (AP Photo/Rod Lamkey, Jr.)

FILE - John Eastman, a California law professor speaks to reporters after the Supreme Court hearing on Birthright Citizenship outside of the Supreme Court in Washington, Thursday, May 15, 2025. (AP Photo/Jose Luis Magana, file)

FILE - Attorney Sidney Powell, a member of President Donald Trump's legal team, speaks during a rally on Wednesday, Dec. 2, 2020, in Alpharetta, Ga. (AP Photo/Ben Margot, File)

FILE - Mark Meadows talks on the floor before Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu speaks to a joint meeting of Congress at the Capitol in Washington, Wednesday, July 24, 2024. (AP Photo/Julia Nikhinson, file)

FILE - Former NYC mayor Rudy Giuliani participates in a ceremony commemorating the anniversary of the 9-11 terror attacks in New York, Thursday, Sept. 11, 2025. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig, file)

Attempting to rebound from a 5-12 season, the Washington Commanders are bringing back the anchor of their offensive line and spending big money in free agency to improve the NFL's worst-ranked defense.

The Commanders on Monday re-signed starting left tackle Laremy Tunsil and agreed to sign edge rusher Odafe Oweh and cornerback Amik Robertson, according to a person with knowledge of the deals. Oweh's contract is worth $100 million over four years, with $68 million guaranteed, according to a second person familiar with that signing.

The people spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because the moves had not been announced. Oweh and Robertson cannot sign until the new league year begins on Wednesday.

Oweh, 27, thrived with the Los Angeles Chargers last season after being traded from Baltimore in early October. He had 7 1/2 sacks in 12 games, following up on 10 with the Ravens in 2024.

Tunsil, who turns 32 on Aug. 2, was one of the highest-performing players at left tackle last season. He ranked second in pass blocking, according to Pro Football Focus, and allowed just two sacks and 15 quarterback pressures in 14 games.

A five-time Pro Bowl selection, Tunsil is now under contract through 2028. His new deal is reportedly worth $60.2 million with a $32.5 million signing bonus, the largest for an offensive lineman.

Washington paid a significant price to acquire Tunsil a year ago in a trade with Houston: a third- and a seventh-rounder last year and a second- and a fourth-rounder this year.

Bringing back Tunsil solidifies the offensive line to protect franchise quarterback Jayden Daniels, with versatile Nick Allegretti and Andrew Wylie also re-signing. Allegretti could move to center, with Wylie or Brandon Coleman at left guard, Sam Cosmi at right guard and 2025 first-round pick Josh Conerly at right tackle.

“I know that I can play center, right guard, left guard — whatever it is, I want to compete for a spot," Allegretti said on a video call with reporters. “Depending on what they do, if that center job is something I can compete for, that’s something that I want to do.”

Robertson, who turns 28 on July 6, replaces Marshon Lattimore, whom the Commanders released on Friday. Robertson spent the past two seasons with the Detroit Lions and had one interception over 34 games.

Backup QB Marcus Mariota also is re-signing with Washington on a one-year, $7 million contract that can be worth up to $11 million, according to a person with knowledge of that deal. The person spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity because the move had not been announced.

Mariota, now 32, has been with the team since before Daniels was selected with the second pick in the 2024 draft and served as a mentor. Mariota, who started eight games last season after Daniels was injured, had expressed a desire to return.

As part of the organizational overhaul just 14 months removed from an improbable run to the NFC championship game, coach Dan Quinn's staff has two new coordinators. David Blough was promoted from assistant quarterbacks coach to run the offense, and Daronte Jones was hired from Minnesota to take control of the defense.

AP Pro Football Writer Rob Maaddi contributed to this report.

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FILE - Detroit Lions' Amik Robertson in action during an NFL football game, Nov. 16, 2025, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke, file)

FILE - Washington Commanders offensive tackle Laremy Tunsil (78) works during the second half of an NFL football game against the Atlanta Falcons, Sep. 28, 2025, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/Danny Karnik, File)