A presidential pardon wipes out a criminal conviction, while a commutation only reduces the sentence but leaves the conviction intact.

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A pardon is a complete forgiveness that deletes the conviction and restores civil rights, while a commutation keeps the conviction on record but reduces or eliminates punishment. For example, Trump granted George Santos a commutation on October 17, 2025, cutting his 87-month wire fraud sentence to time served after less than three months in prison—but Santos's conviction remains. In contrast, Trump granted Rod Blagojevich a full pardon in February 2025 after previously commuting his sentence in 2020, erasing Blagojevich's conviction for attempting to sell Barack Obama's Senate seat. Presidents don't need to justify these decisions—the pardon power flows directly from Article II and cannot be modified by Congress or courts.

A presidential pardon wipes out a criminal conviction, while a commutation only reduces the sentence but leaves the conviction intact.

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