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The Wire
Judge blocks Trump from closing East Potomac Park golf course for now Trump asks Supreme Court to curb judges' power to void unlawful rules nationwide On tape: Richard Blumenthal says the Trump administration let $190 million in anti-human trafficking grants lapse On tape: Rep. Chip Roy, a Republican, on the House floor: the president never asked Congress before sending troops… Massie to force new House vote to end Trump's Iran war before he leaves in January Over 200 Democrats ask appeals court to strike down VA's abortion ban for veterans Kushner says U.S. is brokering Europe-Russia talks and planning next Ukraine round Blumenthal says Lutnick 'must go' over stalled Nvidia chip blacklist for Megaspeed NBC says Democrat Mary Peltola likely to beat Sen. Dan Sullivan in Alaska On tape: Hakeem Jeffries: Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick could face Intel Committee subpoenas over Nvidia scandal Judge blocks Trump from closing East Potomac Park golf course for now Trump asks Supreme Court to curb judges' power to void unlawful rules nationwide On tape: Richard Blumenthal says the Trump administration let $190 million in anti-human trafficking grants lapse On tape: Rep. Chip Roy, a Republican, on the House floor: the president never asked Congress before sending troops… Massie to force new House vote to end Trump's Iran war before he leaves in January Over 200 Democrats ask appeals court to strike down VA's abortion ban for veterans Kushner says U.S. is brokering Europe-Russia talks and planning next Ukraine round Blumenthal says Lutnick 'must go' over stalled Nvidia chip blacklist for Megaspeed NBC says Democrat Mary Peltola likely to beat Sen. Dan Sullivan in Alaska On tape: Hakeem Jeffries: Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick could face Intel Committee subpoenas over Nvidia scandal
Alice Marie Johnson
Photo: The White House from Washington, DC, Public domain

The Administration · Inside the White House

Alice Marie Johnson

White House pardon czar

Freed by Trump in 2018 after 21 years of a life sentence for a nonviolent drug conviction, Johnson now recommends other prisoners to him for clemency.

Biography

Alice Marie Johnson was born in Olive Branch, Mississippi, in 1955. 1 5 As a single mother of five in Memphis, she became involved in a cocaine trafficking ring in the early 1990s. 1 She was arrested in 1993 and convicted of conspiracy and money laundering charges, and in 1997 a federal judge sentenced her to life without parole. 1 She has said she never sold drugs herself but passed messages and held money for people who did. 1 3

In prison she became an ordained minister and a hospice worker. 5 Her case drew the attention of Kim Kardashian, who met President Trump at the White House to ask for her release. 1 Trump commuted her sentence on June 6, 2018, and granted her a full pardon on August 28, 2020, the day after she spoke at the Republican National Convention. 1 5 She wrote a memoir and founded a group that helps others apply for clemency. 1

Trump announced her as his pardon czar at a Black History Month event at the White House on February 20, 2025. 2 3 The post is informal and did not exist before. 2 She said she would weigh community safety and whether an applicant has a job, a home and support waiting. 1 3 In August 2026 she warned the public about people falsely claiming to act for her office in exchange for fees. 4

In the job

The acts and events that have defined the post so far, oldest first.

  1. Trump announced her appointment at a White House Black History Month event. 2 3

  2. Said on Fox News that she would recommend the strongest candidates and follow up with those released to help them, not to catch violations. 3

  3. Publicly defended Trump's pardons of reality television figures Todd and Julie Chrisley, according to Wikipedia's citation of Fox News. 5

  4. Warned that neither she nor her office charges a processing fee or promises clemency for money. 4

Disputes, and their side

What critics, courts or investigators have said, and the answer given. An allegation is not a finding.

  1. The Daily Beast, as summarized by Raw Story, reported that her warning about scammers was aimed partly at Angela Stanton King, an ally of Robert F. Kennedy Jr. who has promoted a paid pardon-application website. 4

    Their side: Johnson named no one in her statement. King did not respond to the Daily Beast's request for comment and reposted Johnson's warning. 4

Career

  1. Arrested, tried and sentenced to life without parole in a Memphis cocaine conspiracy case
  2. Federal prisoner; became an ordained minister and hospice volunteer
  3. Sentence commuted by President Trump
  4. Author and criminal justice reform advocate; founder of the Taking Action for Good Foundation
  5. Spoke at the Republican National Convention; received a full pardon
  6. White House pardon czar

Our reporting

We have not yet published a story that names Alice Marie Johnson. When we do, it will appear here.

Sources for this file

  1. NPR (via KUOW), Who is Alice Marie Johnson, Trump's newly appointed 'pardon czar'?, Feb. 25, 2025
  2. Prison Legal News, Former Prisoner Appointed President's Pardon 'Czar', May 1, 2025
  3. Fox News, Trump's newly-appointed 'pardon czar' outlines 'specific marching orders' for role, Feb. 24, 2025
  4. Raw Story, Trump's pardon czar warns of 'scammers' - and points at an RFK Jr. ally, Aug. 24, 2026
  5. Wikipedia, Alice Marie Johnson, Nov. 13, 2026

File checked Nov. 13, 2026. Something wrong or out of date? Tell the desk.