President Donald Trump's use of pardons and commutations in his second term has erased nearly $1.7 billion in financial obligations for convicted white-collar criminals, a scale unprecedented in modern U.S. presidential history. Research spanning seven administrations since 1989 shows that while past presidents — including Bill Clinton and Barack Obama — collectively forgave tens of millions of dollars in fines and restitution through clemency, Trump's second-term total dwarfs them all; his first term had already set a record at $195 million. Critics note that many recipients received clemency within months or even days of sentencing — before paying little or nothing toward court-ordered restitution meant to compensate fraud victims — and that lobbyists and large donations to Trump-linked causes have repeatedly preceded successful clemency bids.