Trump Pardons Silk Road Drug Market Operator Russ Ulbricht, Despite Calling For Execution Of Drug Sellers

President Donald Trump has fulfilled a campaign promise by commuting the life sentence of Ross Ulbricht, a man who was convicted of running a dark web illicit drug market.

Despite his repeated pledges to take extreme, punitive actions—including capital punishment—against people who sell drugs, Trump granted a full pardon to Ulbricht on Tuesday, effectuating his imminent release. The president had previewed plans to take the action in May 2024, but this comes a day later than his initial commitment to release Ulbricht “on day one” of his presidency.

During a speech before the Libertarian National Convention, Trump had said “if you vote for me, on day one I will commute the sentence of Ross Ulbricht to a sentence of time served,” earning boisterous applause.

Ulbricht was sentenced to life in prison for operating the dark web market known as the Silk Road from 2011 to 2013.

“After 11 years in prison, it is hard to express how I feel at this moment,” Ulbricht wrote at the time Trump made his pledge. “It is thanks to your undying support that I may get a second chance.”

On Tuesday, Trump said in a social media post that he called Ulbricht’s mother to share the news of his clemency action.

“I just called the mother of Ross William Ulbricht to let her know that in honor of her and the Libertarian Movement, which supported me so strongly, it was my pleasure to have just signed a full and unconditional pardon of her son, Ross,” the president said. “The scum that worked to convict him were some of the same lunatics who were involved in the modern day weaponization of government against me. He was given two life sentences, plus 40 years. Ridiculous!”

Trump’s pledge to free Ulbricht appeared to contradict the extreme drug policy platform he’d promoted at earlier stages of his campaign and during his first term as president.

In 2023, Trump defended his position that people who sell illicit drugs should be quickly convicted and executed, touting countries like China and Singapore for enforcing the lethal penalty against drug offenders. Trump said that capital punishment “is the only way you’re going to stop” addiction.

In that interview, however, he seemed confused when he was confronted with the fact that his proposed execution plan for drug traffickers would have condemned a woman he pardoned and promoted as an example of a key criminal justice reform achievement during his administration.

The exchange served as another example of the enigmatic drug policy worldview of Trump, who at one point more than 30 years ago said that the country needs to “legalize drugs” to win the war on drugs but later campaigned on an aggressive drug warrior platform.

However, later into the campaign, he did pivot on marijuana-specific policies—endorsing a Florida cannabis legalization ballot initiative, federal rescheduling and marijuana industry banking access, for example.

Certain lawmakers had pushed Trump to make good on his pledge to free Ulbricht.

Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY), for example, sent a letter to the president on Tuesday after it became clear that he didn’t initiate the clemency action on day one of his presidency as promised.

I’m sending @POTUS a letter today asking him to do the right thing and free @RealRossU! pic.twitter.com/yrc3zPx9Nt

— Senator Rand Paul (@SenRandPaul) January 21, 2025

Rep. Thomas Massie (R-KY) celebrated Trump’s move after the fact on Tuesday evening.

Ross Ulbricht has been freed by President Trump with a full pardon! Thank you for keeping your word to me and others who have been advocating for Ross’ freedom, Mr. President! #freeRoss pic.twitter.com/wOJVFX1DaA

— Thomas Massie (@RepThomasMassie) January 22, 2025

Meanwhile, as one of his final acts before leaving office this week, former President Joe Biden granted another round of commutations for nearly 2,500 people incarcerated in federal prison over nonviolent drug convictions, including several who are serving time for offenses related to marijuana.

While advocates applauded Biden’s clemency actions over the past four years, there still lingering frustration that thousands have remained incarcerated in federal prison over marijuana-related convictions, including nonviolent sales cases.