Fact Check: Did Donald Trump pardon Silk Road dark web marketplace creator Ross Ulbricht?
WASHINGTON, DC: Since Donald Trump took the oath as the President of the United States in January 2025, several rumors about the POTUS have surfaced across the internet and many of them have been debunked.
Recently, an online rumor claimed that President Donald Trump pardoned the creator of the Silk Road dark web marketplace, Ross Ulbricht. But is there any truth to this? Let us find out below.
Claim: Donald Trump pardoned Silk Road creator Ross Ulbricht
In early March, Donald Trump threatened sweeping tariffs on imports from Canada and Mexico due in part as he described it as an "influx of lethal drugs flowing into our country," according to Snopes
Interestingly, many critics framed the POTUS' action as hypocritical considering his earlier decision to pardon Ross Ulbricht, who was sentenced to life in prison for crimes including drug trafficking.
An X post stated, referencing the dark web marketplace Silk Road, "Trump pardoned Silk Road founder Ross Ulbricht, who was sentenced to life in prison for running an online platform where drug dealers conducted more than $200 million in illegal drug sales. He doesn't care about Fentanyl."
Trump pardoned Silk Road founder Ross Ulbricht, who was sentenced to life in prison for running an online platform where drug dealers conducted more than $200 million in illegal drug sales.
— Melanie D'Arrigo (@DarrigoMelanie) March 5, 2025
He doesn't care about Fentanyl. pic.twitter.com/HVdIihC6ZD
The post also attached a screenshot of Trump's Truth Social post from March 5 that read, "For anyone who is interested, I also told Governor Justin Trudeau of Canada that he largely caused the problems we have with them because of his Weak Border Policies, which allowed tremendous amounts of Fentanyl, and Illegal Aliens, to pour into the United States. These Policies are responsible for the death of many people!"
True: Donald Trump did pardon Ross Ulbricht
The online rumor claiming Donald Trump pardoned creator of Silk Road dark web marketplace, Ross Ulbricht, is true as the POTUS did make a post on Truth Social about it on January 22, according to Snopes.
He wrote, "I just called the mother of Ross William Ulbricht to let her know that in honor of her and the Libertarian Movement, which supported me so strongly, it was my pleasure to have just signed a full and unconditional pardon of her son, Ross."
He added, "The s*** that worked to convict him were some of the same lunatics who were involved in the modern-day weaponization of government against me. He was given two life sentences, plus 40 years. Ridiculous!"
Moreover, on March 5, Ulbricht attended Trump's speech in front of a joint session of Congress.
From a prison cell to the halls of congress. @RepThomasMassie and @WarrenDavidson got us into the State of the Union address last night.
— Ross Ulbricht (@RealRossU) March 5, 2025
It was an honor to meet these men who supported my campaign for freedom and to applaud @realDonaldTrump, who set me free. pic.twitter.com/QT844269jh
He later wrote on X, "From a prison cell to the halls of congress [...] It was an honor to meet these men who supported my campaign for freedom and to applaud [Trump], who set me free."
Donald Trump grants 'full and unconditional pardon' to Ross Ulbricht
Federal documentation confirms that an Executive Grant of Clemancy was signed by President Trump which mentioned that he granted a "full and unconditional pardon" to Ross Ulbricht.
Moreover, several mainstream media outlets such as CBS News, ABC News, and other prominent news outlets reported on the pardon.
In 2015, Ulbricht was sentenced to life in prison by a federal judge in Manhattan for drug trafficking, computer hacking and money laundering.
US Attorney Preet Bharara called him "a drug dealer and criminal profiteer" and said he "exploited people's addictions and contributed to the deaths of at least six young people," according to a 2015 press release by the US Attorney's Office.
