President Donald Trump on Tuesday signed an executive order granting a full pardon to Ross Ulbricht, the founder of the Silk Road. The announcement came via Trump’s social media platform, Truth Social, where he said he was “pleased” to grant the clemency to Ulbricht, who had been serving a life sentence since 2015.
Ulbricht, 40, was convicted for his role in creating and running Silk Road, a dark web marketplace used to sell illegal drugs and other items. The pardon fulfills a promise Trump made during his presidential campaign, which received widespread attention among liberal activists and criminal justice reform advocates.
Donald Trump justifies clemency decision for Ross Ulbricht
President Donald Trump expressed dismay at the legal process that led to Ulbricht being sentenced to life in prison. In a post on the Truth Social platform, he called the ruling “ridiculous” and criticized actors in the case as “the same freaks” who, he claims, conspired against him during his time in the White House.
Trump said he spoke to Ulbricht’s mother during his first full day in the White House and told her he would pardon her son. “Ross has spent enough time in prison for non-violent crimes,” Trump said. Amid this pardon, bullish momentum resurfaced with the TRUMP memecoin recovering and the price rising to $42.03, a 20% rise from the intraday low of $32.
The pardon drew cheers and jeers because Ulbricht’s case had been a divisive topic for some time. Some of his defenders say the punishment he received was harsh while others claim the platform was used to coordinate large-scale drug distribution. However, despite the amnesty, the price of the Ross Ulbricht token (ROS) has fallen more than 51% to trade at $0.01091, as of press time.
Liberal support and calls for clemency
The Liberal Party was advocating leniency for Ulbricht. National Libertarian Committee President Angela McArdle said he was a “political prisoner” and hailed the pardon as a victory for their cause.
“Ross Ulbricht has been a libertarian political prisoner for more than a decade,” McArdle said in a statement. She also thanked Donald Trump for taking this action, saying it was a “long overdue step toward justice.”
Senator Rand Paul, who also encouraged Trump to intervene Express support To get clemency for Ulbricht. Paul said Ulbricht received a harsher sentence than drug traffickers who used the Silk Road. He cited several cases of car dealers who spent five to 10 years behind bars, while Ulbricht was sentenced to life in prison with no chance of parole.
Ulbricht’s time in prison and the path to clemency
Ulbricht spent more than 11 years in federal prison and did not violate any prison rules while serving time. According to the media, he not only spent his time in prison teaching mathematics and science, but also practiced yoga.
His defense and friends also drew attention to inconsistencies in the case such as the murder-for-hire charges that were dropped. Clemency attorney Brandon Sample thanked Trump for keeping a campaign promise, saying the decision brought “comfort and hope” to Ulbricht’s family.
Ulbricht’s case did not remain limited to the libertarian community only. Criminal justice reform supporters said his sentence embodies what they believe is excessive punishment for nonviolent crimes.
The broader context of Donald Trump’s pardon
The pardon of Ulbricht comes among a list of many executive orders that Donald Trump has signed since he began his second term in office. On Monday, Trump commuted the sentences of about 1,500 people charged in connection with the Jan. 6 Capitol attack, sparking controversy.
The pardon was also supported by Tesla CEO Elon Musk, a supporter of the Trump administration. He announced the decision on social media where he said: “Ross will also be released.”
Ulbricht, who founded Silk Road under the pseudonym Dread Pirate Roberts, was arrested in 2013 and convicted in 2015. He was the first to offer his platform as a marketplace for purchasing goods and services using Bitcoin on the dark web.
Kelvin Munene Muriithi
Kelvin is a distinguished writer with experience in cryptocurrencies and finance, and holds a bachelor’s degree in actuarial science. Known for his incisive analysis and insightful content, he is fluent in English and excels at conducting comprehensive research and providing timely cryptocurrency market updates.
Disclaimer: The provided content may include the personal opinion of the author and is subject to the market situation. Conduct market research before investing in cryptocurrencies. The author or publication does not accept any responsibility for your personal financial loss.
✓ Share: