Trump failed to deliver ‘Day 1’ promise to grant clemency to Ross Ulbricht, founder of Silk Road

President Trump did not follow through on his promise to pardon or commute the prison sentence of Ross Ulbricht, the founder of the anonymous marketplace website Silk Road. Despite pledging to free Ulbricht on “day one” of his presidency, Trump failed to grant him clemency upon his return to the White House.

Ulbricht, who created Silk Road in 2011 as a platform for the sale of illegal drugs using cryptocurrency, was convicted for facilitating drug trafficking, money laundering, and other crimes. However, he did not sell any illicit substances himself. Despite this, he was sentenced to life in prison in 2015.

During his campaign, Trump made a public commitment to commute Ulbricht’s sentence, garnering support from the Libertarian Party and its members who believed that Ulbricht was unfairly targeted by government investigators. At the Libertarian National Convention, Trump received cheers and chants of “Free Ross” when he promised to grant Ulbricht clemency.

Following his inauguration, Trump issued several executive actions but did not address Ulbricht’s case. Despite speculation that a pardon or commutation was imminent, Ulbricht remained behind bars without any intervention from the president.

Ulbricht, who has been incarcerated for over a decade, expressed gratitude for the public support and hope for a second chance at freedom. Trump’s failure to act on his promise has left many supporters disappointed, including those who believed in his commitment to libertarian principles and criminal justice reform.

While there is still a possibility that Trump may grant Ulbricht clemency in the future, his delay in doing so has raised questions about his willingness to follow through on his campaign promises. As Ulbricht continues to serve his life sentence, advocates and supporters are hopeful that he will eventually receive the pardon or commutation he was promised.