WASHINGTON - On Sunday evening, former U.S. President Donald Trump issued a series of presidential pardons to former associates and political allies who faced federal charges related to efforts to overturn the results of the 2020 presidential election. According to the Associated Press, among those pardoned is former New York City Mayor and Trump's lawyer, Rudy Giuliani.

According to an official statement released by the Justice Department's advocate, Ed Martin, the president signed a total of 77 pardons. The document, dated November 7th, describes the action as "an act of national unity" and speaks of "rectifying a deep injustice caused by politically motivated prosecutions."

In addition to Giuliani, the list includes former White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows, lawyer Sidney Powell, author of the memorandum on "alternative electors" John Eastman, and conservative activists involved in the so-called "Stop the Steal" initiative. As reported by *The Washington Post*, most of them faced federal charges related to spreading false claims of election fraud and attempts to influence the certification of results in key states.

The Justice Department's statement emphasizes that the pardons apply exclusively to federal charges. This means that individual states, such as Georgia or Michigan, can continue their cases. Legal experts cited by CNN point out that Trump's power does not extend to state proceedings, and therefore it is possible that several individuals will continue to face legal proceedings at the regional level.

Reactions to the former president's actions are, according to Reuters, sharply divided. Trump supporters hail it as a gesture of justice and confirmation that the investigations from 2021-2024 were "politically motivated." Democrats, on the other hand, speak of an unprecedented abuse of power and an attempt to exonerate individuals who themselves participated in undermining the democratic process.

“This action undermines public trust in the rule of law and reinforces the impression that justice applies differently to the president's allies and to others,” said legal analyst and former federal prosecutor Joyce Vance to *The New York Times*. According to her, it will now be crucial to see how Congress reacts to the pardons and whether the debate about the constitutional limits of presidential power will be reopened.

In a brief statement on the Truth Social platform, Trump said that "America must move forward" and that the pardons represent "a step towards healing the nation after years of persecution of patriots." However, his opponents point out that the former president is thereby legitimizing his own political interests and undermining the separation of powers between the executive and judicial branches.

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