--- title: "Trump pardons cost crime victims $1.7 billion, report says" publication: "MediaBias News" url: "https://mediabias.news/politics/trump-pardons-cost-crime-victims-17-billion-report-says" api: "https://mediabias.news/api/v1/stories/trump-pardons-cost-crime-victims-17-billion-report-says" markdown: "https://mediabias.news/politics/trump-pardons-cost-crime-victims-17-billion-report-says.md" audio: "https://mediabias.news/api/audio/trump-pardons-cost-crime-victims-17-billion-report-says" category: "Politics" area: "United States" published: "2026-08-21T19:05:18.000Z" source_reported: "2026-08-21T17:02:58.000Z" updated: "2026-08-21T19:05:18.000Z" trust_score: 42 critic_score: 59 hype_score: 41 assessment_type: "coverage-and-source-reporting-analysis" fact_check_status: "not-performed" coverage_measured: "2026-08-21T19:01:25.511172+00:00" --- # Trump pardons cost crime victims $1.7 billion, report says *House Judiciary Committee report details how clemency was sold through influencers and fixers.* **Scores for the source reporting** (0-100, assessing the original journalism this article was written from, not this write-up): - Trust 42 of 100, higher is better. Central claims attributed to a named body, but relies on anonymous sourcing for some details. - Craft 59 of 100, higher is better. Reports are clear and hold together, but lack quotes from affected parties or those responsible. - Hype 41 of 100, lower is better. Headlines promise intimate details and financial revelations, with some articles focusing on sensational aspects. Scored by MediaBias News; method at https://mediabias.news/methodology. **The short version** - President Donald Trump's pardons have resulted in $1.7 billion in lost compensation for crime victims, according to a House Judiciary Committee report. - The report details how Trump's administration allegedly sold access to the pardon power through influencers and fixers. - Leaked letters from Natalie Harp, an assistant to Trump, express her deep devotion to him. - Reuters identified 290 advocates who assisted in securing clemency for 197 individuals. President Donald Trump's pardons have cost crime victims $1.7 billion in compensation, according to a report from the House Judiciary Committee. The committee's analysis examines how the administration allegedly sold access to the pardon power through influencers and fixers, turning the process into a system of "cash-for-clemency." The report, released by the ranking Democrat on the committee, Rep. Jamie Raskin, states that Trump consolidated control of the pardon power within the White House. This allowed individuals with connections to the president to act as gatekeepers. Reuters identified 290 advocates who publicly or privately helped secure clemency for 197 recipients. Among these advocates, 73 assisted in more than one pardon or sentence commutation. Separately, leaked letters written by Natalie Harp, an assistant to Donald Trump, express her devotion to the president. In the letters, Harp refers to herself using the pseudonym "the human printer" and states, "You are all that matters to me, I don't want to disappoint you." ## Disagreement on pardon recipients Common Dreams reported that Trevor Milton, an auto company executive convicted of defrauding investors, was potentially liable for nearly $700 million in restitution. After he and his wife donated $1.8 million to committees supporting Trump and Robert F. Kennedy Jr. in 2024, Milton received a pardon that eliminated his obligation. Common Dreams also stated that Jason Galanis, convicted of stealing millions from the Oglala Sioux Nation and defrauding pension funds, avoided paying over $84 million in restitution after Trump pardoned him in early 2025. The New Republic reported that Trump's pardons of fraudsters cost victims nearly $2 billion. ## What the coverage left out None of the right-rated reports below mention the $1.7 billion cost estimate for crime victims from President Trump's pardons, as detailed in the House Judiciary Committee report. Similarly, none of the right-rated reports mention the 290 advocates identified by Reuters who helped secure clemency for 197 recipients. ## Who covered it Shares of the 11 covering outlets with a published leaning rating: - Left: 73% (8) - Centre: 9% (1) - Right: 18% (2) 0 of 11 covering outlets carried no usable leaning rating and were excluded from those percentages. Coverage measured 2026-08-21T19:01:25.511172+00:00. **Coverage watch:** developing. Checked 1 time; 0 checks found a material change. Most recently checked 2026-08-21T19:15:29.763Z. ## How the sides framed it ### Left - Seven left-rated reports led on the House Judiciary Committee's findings that President Donald Trump's pardons cost crime victims $1.7 billion in compensation. These reports highlighted the committee's examination of how Trump allegedly sold access to his pardon power through influencers and fixers, creating a "cash-for-clemency" system. Common Dreams quoted Rep. Jamie Raskin, stating Trump turned "one of the most solemn constitutional powers of the presidency and turned it into a bustling marketplace for insider political influence and unjust personal enrichment." Common Dreams and The New Republic detailed specific cases where pardons allegedly eliminated significant restitution owed to victims, such as Trevor Milton and Jason Galanis. Common Dreams also noted Trump's pardon of former Honduran President Juan Orlando Hernández. Several left-rated reports, including Raw Story, t-online, The Parnas Perspective, Joe.My.God., and nd-aktuell.de, focused on leaked letters written by Natalie Harp to Trump, describing her devotion and using phrases like "You are all that matters to me" and "You are my guardian." ### Centre - The centre-rated report from Il Messaggero focused on leaked letters written by Natalie Harp to Donald Trump. The report detailed Harp's expressions of devotion, including phrases such as "You are all that matters to me" and "I don't want to disappoint you." It also noted her use of the pseudonym "the human printer" and her desire for a job where her "only task is to talk to you and look beautiful." ### Right - Two right-rated reports, BT and focus.de, led on leaked letters written by Trump assistant Natalie Harp. Both reports described the letters as revealing a "bizarre relationship" and "deep devotion" to Trump. BT quoted the phrase "You are my guardian," while focus.de noted Harp confessed her "deep devotion" to Trump in personal letters published by The Daily Beast. **Provisional coverage gap:** right. The watch is not closed, so this is not yet a settled blindspot finding. ## Factuality profile of the covering outlets These are published factuality ratings of the outlets, not a verdict on whether this story or its claims are true. - high: 10 - unknown: 1 ## Verification scope This page compares coverage and scores the source reporting. It is not a ClaimReview verdict on whether the underlying event or claim is true. ## Original reporting this was written from - [Common Dreams](https://commondreams.org/news/trump-pardon-crime-victims) — Corrupt ‘Cash-for-Clemency’ Trump Pardons Have Cost Crime Victims $1.7 Billion in Damages - [Raw Story](https://rawstory.com/natalie-harp-letters-2677755550) — 'Written in code?' New theory floated about Trump-obsessed staffer's letters - [t-online](https://t-online.de/nachrichten/ausland/internationale-politik/id_101400116/natalie-harp-und-trump-journalist-veroeffentlicht-brisante-briefe.html) — "From All Hearts": Journalist Publishes Letters From "Natalie" to Trump - [BT](https://bt.dk/udland/laekkede-breve-afsloerer-bizart-forhold-til-trump-du-er-min-vogter) — Leaked Letters Reveal Bizarre Relationship with Trump: 'You Are My Guardian' - [focus.de](https://focus.de/politik/ausland/us-portal-veroeffentlicht-intime-briefe-von-trump-assistentin_08cd43e9-f57c-4c4e-881b-a1cb58f80148.html) — US Portal Publishes Intimate Letters From Trump Assistant - [Il Messaggero](https://ilmessaggero.it/persone/natalie_harp_trump_sei_tutto_cio_che_conta_lettere-9718329.html) — Trump, Natalie Harp's Letters: "You're All that Matters to Me, I Don't Want to Disappoint You" - [The Independent](https://independent.co.uk/bulletin/news/natalie-harp-donald-trump-letters-b3037149.html) — The extraordinary letters Trump aide Natalie Harp reportedly left for him on trip - [The Parnas Perspective](https://aaronparnas.substack.com/p/news-concerning-natalie-harp-letters) — NEWS: Concerning Natalie Harp Letters Exposed, Billions Stolen From Pardon Victims, and 68,000 Indiana Homes Still Without Power - [Joe.My.God.](https://joemygod.com/2026/08/trumps-pardons-cost-victims-1-7-billion-in-restitution) — Trump’s Pardons Cost Victims $1.7 Billion In Restitution - [The New Republic](https://newrepublic.com/post/214599/trump-pardons-fraudsters-cost-victims-billions) — Trump Pardons of Fraudsters Cost Victims Nearly $2 Billion - [nd-aktuell.de](https://nd-aktuell.de/artikel/1201970.usa-trump-mitarbeiterin-natalie-harp-trumps-loyalste-juengerin.html) — Natalie Harp: Trump's Most Loyal Disciple ## Questions **How much money have Trump's pardons cost crime victims?** According to a report from the House Judiciary Committee, President Donald Trump's pardons have cost crime victims $1.7 billion in compensation. This figure represents the amount of restitution and fines that victims allegedly did not receive due to the pardons. **What did the House Judiciary Committee report find about Trump's pardon process?** The report found that President Trump allegedly sold access to his pardon power through influencers and fixers, creating a "cash-for-clemency" system. It suggests that connections to Trump's inner circle became a determining factor in granting pardons, rather than traditional Department of Justice guidelines. **Who is Natalie Harp and what was revealed about her relationship with Trump?** Natalie Harp is an assistant to President Donald Trump. Leaked letters written by Harp to Trump express her deep devotion to him, using phrases like "You are all that matters to me" and referring to herself as "the human printer." **How many advocates were involved in securing clemency?** Reuters identified 290 advocates, described as influencers, who publicly or privately assisted in securing clemency for 197 recipients. Some of these advocates worked on multiple cases, contributing to a total of 624 acts of influence. --- MediaBias News — https://mediabias.news. Reproduced from https://mediabias.news/politics/trump-pardons-cost-crime-victims-17-billion-report-says. Please cite as: MediaBias News, "Trump pardons cost crime victims $1.7 billion, report says", https://mediabias.news/politics/trump-pardons-cost-crime-victims-17-billion-report-says