Famous People Who Asked Donald Trump To Help Them Out Of Prison

Donald Trump has granted pardons and commutations to a number of high-profile figures — though he has also denied some requests.

The president has granted clemency to thousands of people during his presidencies. On the first day of his second presidential term, he pardoned over 1,500 people charged or convicted in connection with the January 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol, referring to the defendants as “hostages.”

Beyond former political leaders, disgraced executives and other prominent inmates, these famous people also turned to Trump for help securing their release from prison.

In September 2025, Boosie Badazz paid Jack Burkman and Jacob Wohl of JM Burkman & Associates $600,000 to help secure a pardon from Trump in connection with his 2023 federal gun case.

The rapper did not receive one despite hiring lobbyists, prompting him to demand a refund from the firm.

“This contract was prepared by and signed by Burkman & Associates, including the return of funds provision,” his lawyer, Jill Craft, told The New York Post. “We expect them to live up to their end of the signed contract.”

While serving a 22-year sentence for attempted murder-for-hire and wildlife offenses, Joe Exotic submitted a 257-page argument to Trump during his first term asking for a pardon.

However, he remains behind bars after years of making public appeals.

“Not only have I been trying to get Trump’s attention for the last eight years, but now I have lost the ability to get the White House’s eyes on my social media,” he wrote in a letter sent to OK! in June. “Since I’ve been in the SHU [Special Housing Unit] now for 58 days — all because a prison guard of 26 years wrote President Trump a letter asking him to sign my clemency or grant me a pardon. The prison fired him and put me in SHU, trying to send me to another prison.”

Exotic added, “I’ve been exploited for eight years for everyone to make money using my face and name. And I get nothing but more bulls— drama. Please President Trump, let me go home.”

A few weeks later, he discussed the harsh prison environment after being transferred to a federal prison in Lexington, Ky., telling OK!, “The staff are great, however, President Trump should be ashamed of himself to be the leader of the richest and most powerful country in the world, and he has a prison and justice system that looks like this.”

Before the end of Trump’s first tenure as the POTUS, he included Lil Wayne and Kodak Black‘s names on the list of more than 140 people who were granted pardons or had their prison sentences commuted.

Following the then-outgoing president’s last-minute spree, the rappers thanked Trump in separate social media posts.

The Young Money Entertainment founder said, “I want to thank President Trump for recognizing that I have so much more to give to my family, my art, and my community. I also want to thank @bradfordcohen for working so diligently to secure another chance for me. Love!”

The “Super Gremlin” hitmaker, whose 46-month sentence was commuted, wrote, “I Want To Thank The President @RealDonaldTrump For His Commitment To Justice Reform And Shortening My Sentence. I Also Want To Thank Everyone For Their Support And Love. It Means More Than You Will Ever Know. I Want To Continue Giving Back, Learning And Growing.”

In May 2025, NBA YoungBoy secured a pardon from Trump after he was sentenced to 23 months in prison on gun-related charges in 2024.

“I want to thank President Trump for granting me a pardon and giving me the opportunity to keep building — as a man, as a father, and as an artist,” he expressed in a statement.

In court documents made public on July 15, R. Kelly appealed to Trump to commute his 31-year prison sentence after being convicted in two separate federal trials in 2021 and 2022.

The disgraced R&B star’s lawyer, Beau Brindley, has publicly sought Trump’s help for more than a year. The request, which does not seek a full pardon, remains pending.