President Trump pardoned 11 people on Friday, most of whom had been convicted of violating the Clean Air Act, a bedrock environmental law that has regulated air pollution for decades.
Nine of the 11 pardons involved individuals convicted of tampering with or disabling emissions monitoring systems on vehicles, according to Reuters and multiple news outlets. The Clean Air Act makes it illegal to modify or remove pollution control equipment that manufacturers install on cars and trucks.
Among the 11 was a former business partner of Washington lobbyist Jack Abramoff, according to reporting from the New York Times. The Times also noted that the group included a major donor to Trump, underscoring how the pardon power has been deployed to reward both environmental violators and political supporters.
The pardons follow Trump’s earlier clemency grant to Troy Lake, a Wyoming diesel mechanic convicted of disabling emissions controls on hundreds of trucks. Lake served seven months in prison before Trump pardoned him in November 2025, according to reporting from Politico and Land Line Media. That initial pardon opened the door for others to lobby for similar relief, with mechanics and small business owners citing what they described as overzealous federal prosecution.
The Clean Air Act, enacted in 1970 and strengthened in 1990, gives the federal government authority to regulate emissions from vehicles and stationary sources. Violations carry civil penalties of up to $45,268 per noncompliant vehicle, according to the EPA. The law has been a target of the Trump administration, which in February 2026 revoked the scientific finding that greenhouse gases endanger public health, effectively dismantling the legal basis for federal climate action.
Sources
- Reuters — confirmed Trump pardoned 11 people, nine for Clean Air Act violations
- The New York Times — reported the pardons included a major donor and a former Abramoff partner
- Politico — documented Trump’s earlier pardon of diesel mechanic Troy Lake and the subsequent lobbying effort
- Land Line Media — confirmed Troy Lake’s conviction and pardon details
- U.S. Environmental Protection Agency — provided penalty information under the Clean Air Act
