politics
Trump pardons nine people convicted of Clean Air Act violations
President Trump granted clemency to nine individuals convicted of tampering with diesel emissions controls. The pardons cover convictions tied to the sale and installation of devices that bypass federal emissions requirements.
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President Trump announced pardons on Friday for nine people convicted of violating the Clean Air Act by tampering with diesel vehicle emissions-control systems. Six of the pardons were posted on Truth Social. Trump stated the recipients had been "persecuted by the Biden Administration" and punished for "fixing their car."
the recipients were diesel mechanics or car tuners prosecuted for selling and installing so-called defeat devices. These devices reprogram trucks to bypass federally required emissions controls and suppress diagnostic warnings. One recipient ran two companies that sold illegal tuning devices. Court records show those firms grossed more than $10 million from the sales alone.
Background on emissions enforcement The pardons follow a January 2026 announcement that the Trump administration would no longer pursue criminal charges against manufacturers, distributors, and users of defeat devices. Civil penalties remain possible.
Earlier this year, the Justice Department ordered prosecutors to drop pending cases related to aftermarket defeat devices. In the fall, Trump granted clemency to another mechanic who had served seven months in prison for disabling emissions equipment.
