'Bread-and-Butter Corruption': Murphy Slams Trump’s Pardons

Spread love

Senator Chris Murphy accuses Donald Trump of turning presidential pardons into a marketplace for influence and profit.

By TRH World Desk

New Delhi, December 4, 2025 —Democratic Senator Chris Murphy launched a scathing attack on US President Donald Trump over a series of controversial pardons, alleging a pattern of corruption, political profiteering, and favouritism toward wealthy and well-connected figures.

Speaking on MSNBC, Murphy said Trump has issued “a series of what would seem to be audaciously politically toxic pardons,” including individuals convicted of serious crimes such as cocaine trafficking and massive financial fraud. He said the latest case is even more alarming because it involves a person indicted by Trump’s own Department of Justice.

“When he’s asked about it, he says, ‘I don’t know who they are.’ What are we supposed to make of that?” Murphy asked, expressing disbelief at what he described as a calculated system of influence behind the scenes.

The senator alleged that a network of administration officials and MAGA-aligned lobbyists may be facilitating access to pardons in exchange for large sums of money. “My sense is that somebody’s getting rich ultimately,” Murphy said, claiming that powerful insiders “huddle together at these elite restaurants and clubs in Washington” to broker deals that could cost applicants “a couple hundred thousand dollars” through affiliated lobbyists.

Murphy also pointed to the controversial pardon of the owner of Binance as a key example. He alleged that the executive had pleaded guilty and that the company was accused of being used to launder money for terrorist groups and child sex offenders. “This is a bad, bad guy. He pled guilty. It wasn’t like he was contesting the charges,” Murphy said.

He further claimed the pardon was linked to Trump’s personal cryptocurrency ventures, suggesting that insiders with advance knowledge of Trump’s crypto endorsements could make millions within minutes. “That’s not just Trump making money,” Murphy warned. “That’s anybody that gets inside information from Trump on when he’s going to boost the cryptocurrency.”

According to Murphy, the pattern reflects what he called “just bread-and-butter corruption,” with favours allegedly traded in the form of pardons to ensure that those around Trump “get their pockets lined.”

He also mocked claims that Trump is unaware of such dealings. “It’s kind of wild that Trump doesn’t know anything about it, that it’s happening behind his back,” Murphy said, suggesting that the explanation strains credibility.

Follow The Raisina Hills on WhatsApp, Instagram, YouTube, Facebook, and LinkedIn