Governor Gavin Newsom launched a webpage cataloguing 10 people he calls President Donald Trump’s "criminal cronies," leading the list with Trump himself. The site highlights a large clemency effort for Jan. 6 defendants, names international and domestic figures pardoned by Trump, and points to related controversies reported about the president and his family. The White House defended the pardons and responded with a partisan jab at President Biden. Newsom says the resource centralizes public records and reporting so Americans can see who Trump elevates and protects.
Newsom Launches Website Calling Out Trump’s 'Criminal Cronies' — Catalogs 10 Pardon Recipients
AFP via Getty Images
California Governor Gavin Newsom on Tuesday launched a dedicated webpage compiling a list of people he describes as President Donald Trump’s "criminal cronies." The page gathers notable figures who have received pardons or commutations from Trump and frames the clemency actions as part of a broader pattern of behavior by the former president and his allies.
"Trump is a felon who surrounds himself with scammers and drug traffickers. We’re providing the public with a resource putting the facts in one place so Californians, and all Americans, can see who he elevates and who he protects," Newsom said in a statement accompanying the launch.
Gavin Newsom launched a new webpage shaming President Donald Trump over his pardons on Tuesday. / California governor's website
The page lists 10 individuals and leads with Trump, labeled on the site as the "criminal in chief." The webpage highlights a range of controversies cited by Newsom's office, including the president's ties to high-profile figures and business dealings. The site attributes several claims to public records and reporting rather than presenting them as undisputed facts.
Who Appears On The List
The webpage highlights the following categories and examples:
Trump pardoned the Capitol rioters as one of his first acts back in office. / AFP via Getty Images
- Jan. 6 Defendants: The site emphasizes that one of Mr. Trump's early acts after returning to the Oval Office was a wide-ranging clemency effort for people involved in the Jan. 6, 2021, attack; the site says about 1,500 individuals were pardoned.
- International And Drug-Related Cases: Former Honduran President Juan Orlando Hernández, who was convicted on drug-trafficking–related charges, is named.
- Darknet And Tech Figures: Ross Ulbricht, the creator of the Silk Road marketplace, is listed alongside several crypto executives and founders — including Changpeng Zhao and BitMEX co-founders Benjamin Delo, Arthur Hayes, Gregory Dwyer and Samuel Reed — who received clemency.
- Domestic Corruption And Fraud Cases: The page calls out former Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich, businessman Devon Archer, former Nevada lawmaker Michele Fiore, and former U.S. Representative George Santos for convictions or allegations tied to corruption or fraud.
The site also references controversies reported about Mr. Trump himself — including public reporting on his legal troubles, alleged ties to Jeffrey Epstein associates, and family cryptocurrency dealings — while noting those items as part of the broader narrative the governor is advancing.
White House Response
The White House pushed back. Spokesperson Abigail Jackson defended the president’s exercise of clemency and took aim at President Joe Biden in a partisan rebuttal.
"President Trump has exercised his constitutional authority to issue pardons and commutations for a variety of individuals. And the only pardons anyone should be critical of are from President Autopen," Jackson said.
Newsom’s webpage is designed to centralize the names and controversies connected to Trump’s use of clemency, aiming to make that information more accessible to the public as part of the governor’s political critique.
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