Trump Pardons 11, Including 9 Tied to Clean Air Act Emissions Cases
President Donald Trump pardoned 11 people Friday, including nine tied to Clean Air Act cases involving vehicle emissions controls, as he framed the prosecutions as punishment for “fixing their car.”
AP reported that the White House identified nine recipients as people who faced charges related to disabling emissions monitoring systems or selling devices that allowed emissions controls to be bypassed. Trump announced some of the pardons on Truth Social, saying the defendants had been “persecuted” under the Biden administration and declaring, “I AM SETTING THEM ALL FREE, RIGHT NOW!”
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The pardons came days after Trump directed EPA action around “Freedom to Fix” vehicle repairs. EPA said its guidance clarifies repair access under the Clean Air Act but does not weaken emissions standards or reduce compliance obligations.
The legal and policy consequence is straightforward. The pardons erase punishment for specific defendants, but they do not repeal the Clean Air Act or legalize emissions tampering.
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