President Trump did not pardon or commute the prison sentence of Ross Ulbricht, the founder of the anonymous marketplace website Silk Road, despite his promise on the campaign trail to free him on “day one.”
Ulbricht was convicted because his website, which was founded in 2011 and used cryptocurrency for payments, was used to sell illegal drugs, even though he did not sell any of the illicit substances himself.
After being sworn into office on Monday, Trump issued several executive actions, including efforts to reduce immigration, designating cartels as foreign terrorist organizations, a move to resume federal executions and pardoning or commuting sentences to time served of people convicted in the Jan. 6, 2021, Capitol riot.
But Trump’s first day back in the White House came to an end with Ulbricht still behind bars without a pardon or commutation from the president, who pledged to do so last spring.
TRUMP VOWS TO COMMUTE PRISON SENTENCE OF SILK ROAD FOUNDER ROSS ULBRICHT
Members of the Libertarian Party stand in chairs while chanting and demanding the release of Ross Ulbricht during the party’s national convention at the Washington Hilton on May 25, 2024 in Washington, D.C. (Getty Images)
In May, Trump delivered a speech at the Libertarian National Convention to a hostile crowd of boos in an attempt to win over Libertarian voters. Libertarians believe government investigators overreached in their case against Silk Road and generally oppose the War on Drugs.
While the attendees were not favorable to Trump for most of the event, they did give a big cheer when he said he would commute Ulbricht’s sentence to time served, as the crowd chanted “Free Ross” in the hopes that the then-presidential candidate would take action if elected to allow the Silk Road founder to return home to his family after more than a decade behind bars.
“If you vote for me, on day one I will commute the sentence of Ross Ulbricht, to a sentence of time served. He’s already served 11 years. We’re going to get him home,” Trump told the crowd of Libertarians, many of whom were holding signs that read “Free Ross.”
Ulbricht reacted to Trump’s comments the following day on the social media platform X.
“Last night, Donald Trump pledged to commute my sentence on day 1, if reelected,” he wrote. “Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. After 11 years in prison, it is hard to express how I feel at this moment. It is thanks to your undying support that I may get a second chance.”
Cards featuring images of President Donald Trump and Ross Ulbricht, creator of Silk Road, displayed for sale at the Bitcoin 2024 conference in Nashville, Tennessee, on Saturday, July 27, 2024. (Getty Images)
Last month, Ulbricht wrote: “For my last monthly resolution of 2024, I intend to study every day and to get up to speed as much as I can as I prepare for freedom.”
Trump later reiterated his promise to commute Ulbricht’s life sentence at a bitcoin conference, which he received loud cheers for.
Despite Trump failing to deliver on his promise to free Ulbricht on his first day back in office, the president reportedly may still grant him clemency as early as Tuesday.
“Pres. Trump’s staff just confirmed to me Ross’s pardon will be issued late tonight or tomorrow morning,” Libertarian Party chair Angela McArdle wrote Monday night on X.
Elon Musk, who serves in the newly formed Department of Government Efficiency in the Trump administration, also said Ulbricht would be released soon.
“Ross will be freed,” Musk wrote on X.
Many Libertarians have said they supported Trump in November’s election, citing, in part, his commitment to free Ulbricht.
TRUMP PARDONS NEARLY ALL 1/6 DEFENDANTS
Supporters of Ross Ulbricht, the alleged creator and operator of the Silk Road underground market, stand in front of a Manhattan federal court house on the first day of jury selection for his trial on January 13, 2015 in New York City. (Getty Images)
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During his first term, Trump considered intervening to release Ulbricht before ultimately deciding against a pardon.
Ulbricht, now 40, operated the website from 2011 until his arrest in 2013. He was sentenced two years later to life in prison.
“I was trying to help us move toward a freer and more equitable world,” Ulbricht said from prison in 2021. “We all know the road to hell is paved with good intentions, and now here I am. I’m in hell.”
“Trump is done signing EOs and pardons for the night,” 2024 Libertarian presidential candidate Chase Oliver wrote on X. “Hopefully, we will see a #FREEROSSULBRICHT commutation in the morning.”
Ulbricht was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole in 2015 for his role in creating and operating Silk Road, a website that facilitated the sale of illegal drugs and other illicit goods. Despite pleas from supporters and advocates for his release, Trump did not grant him clemency before leaving office.
Many were disappointed by Trump’s failure to follow through on this promise, as they believed that Ulbricht had already served enough time for his crimes. The lack of action on this issue has left Ulbricht’s fate uncertain, and his supporters continue to call for his release.
As the debate over Ulbricht’s case continues, it serves as a reminder of the complexities of the criminal justice system and the importance of holding elected officials accountable for their promises.
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