On February 10, 2025, former President Donald Trump issued a full pardon to Rod Blagojevich, the ex-Governor of Illinois who was convicted in 2011 on multiple corruption charges, including attempting to sell the U.S. Senate seat vacated by Barack Obama after his 2008 presidential election. Blagojevich was initially sentenced to 14 years in federal prison. In 2020, Trump commuted his sentence, leading to Blagojevich's release after serving approximately eight years. The recent pardon fully absolves Blagojevich of his convictions, restoring his civil rights, though it does not reinstate his law license or lift the Illinois Senate's ban on him holding state office. 

Trump described Blagojevich as "a very fine person" and suggested that his prosecution was a result of a setup by corrupt individuals. Blagojevich expressed gratitude towards Trump, referring to him as "a great guy." 

This pardon is part of a broader pattern of clemency actions by Trump, which have included pardons for individuals involved in the Capitol riot. The decision has drawn criticism from some Illinois lawmakers who view it as condoning corruption