Trump Grants Clemency to 30, Including Jay-Z Associate Emory Jones

White House clemency coordinator Alice Marie Johnson announced on Friday that President Donald Trump had granted presidential pardons or sentence commutations to approximately 30 people in recent days. Among those recipients was Emory Jones, a longtime associate of rapper Jay-Z.

Johnson stated in a social media post that Jones served nearly 16 years in federal prison on charges related to narcotics.

As the White House official overseeing clemency and sentence reduction efforts, Johnson confirmed the president took this action on Thursday.

Background on Emory Jones

Jones was released from custody in 2010 after Jay-Z sent a letter to the presiding judge on his behalf requesting a reduced sentence.

Prior to his incarceration, Jones served as chief executive officer of Jay-Z’s entertainment company Rock Nation and co-founded the apparel brand Bape Blends.

Other Recipients Named

The New York Times reported that additional beneficiaries included a former Philadelphia labor union president convicted of accepting bribes and a former U.S. Navy sailor imprisoned on firearms-related offenses.

Clemency Totals Since January 2025

Since the start of his second term in the White House in January 2025, Trump has granted clemency for criminal convictions or reduced prison sentences for more than 1,700 individuals.