Trump pardons 11 people on eve of country’s Fourth of July celebrations | Donald Trump
US politics | The Guardian — 2026-07-04 09:13:00 — www.theguardian.com
Donald Trump Defends Pardons for Clean Air Act Violators Amid Extreme Heat Crisis
Donald Trump on Friday issued pardons to 11 individuals, including two convicted fraudsters and nine people charged with violating the federal Clean Air Act by disabling or modifying truck emissions controls. The executive pardons, announced during the US semiquincentennial celebrations marked by extreme heat linked to greenhouse gas emissions, are part of a broader wave of clemency actions from Trump in his second presidency, primarily benefiting those he considers aligned with him.
Trump’s Public Justification
On his Truth Social platform, Trump defended the pardons for those charged under the Clean Air Act, claiming they were “in, or being sent to, prison for ‘fixing their car’”. He declared, “I AM SETTING THEM ALL FREE, RIGHT NOW!” This statement mischaracterizes the nature of the offenses, as the individuals were not simply repairing vehicles but were convicted of disabling emissions-control systems—actions that undermine federal efforts to limit air pollution.
Policy Moves Undermining Environmental Protections
The Clean Air Act-related pardons came just days after Trump signed a memo to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) asserting that Americans should be able to fix their vehicles however they want. Trump referenced a previous pardon for diesel mechanic Troy Lake, who had disabled emissions-monitoring systems, further signaling his administration’s opposition to federal emissions regulations.
Earlier this year, Trump’s administration repealed a scientific finding that greenhouse gas emissions endanger human health and eliminated federal tailpipe emissions standards for cars and trucks. These actions directly contradict the scientific consensus that greenhouse gas emissions are the primary driver of the ongoing climate crisis.
Context: Extreme Heat and Climate Science
The pardons and regulatory rollbacks come as much of the US faces blistering heat, with researchers from Worldwide Weather Attribution stating that such extreme temperatures during the nation’s 250th anniversary celebrations would have been “virtually impossible” without the global climate crisis. Scientists have repeatedly found that greenhouse gas emissions are the main cause of this crisis.
Conclusion
Trump’s recent pardons and policy actions reflect a pattern of downplaying environmental risks and undermining established science on climate change. By characterizing Clean Air Act violations as minor infractions and rolling back key environmental protections, Trump continues to reject the consensus of climate experts, even as the nation faces mounting evidence of the consequences of unchecked emissions.
Source: https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/jul/04/trump-pardons-11-people-fourth-of-july