On June 5, 2026, President Donald Trump pardoned former Indiana Congressman Steve Buyer, who was convicted of insider trading. The White House announced the pardon shortly after Trump hinted at it in a post on Truth Social on May 31. In the proclamation, Trump referenced Buyer's service in the Army and his tenure in the U.S. House from 1993 to 2011, and noted endorsements from over 50 individuals, including politicians such as Senator Lindsey Graham and former House Speaker John Boehner.
Buyer, who was sentenced to 22 months in prison in 2023, claimed he was wrongfully convicted and described the prosecution as politically motivated. He stated, "I have maintained my innocence and was wrongfully convicted in New York before an all-Democrat jury. I was, in effect, a political prisoner. This pardon corrects a politically motivated prosecution." Prosecutors alleged that Buyer used confidential information from his consulting work to profit from stock trades, earning nearly $350,000.
The U.S. Supreme Court declined to hear Buyer's appeal in May. Buyer has suggested that his prosecution was influenced by his involvement in the impeachment of former President Bill Clinton. The pardon arrives amid scrutiny of Trump's own stock trades, with Democrats alleging potential conflicts of interest. Eric Trump, the president's son, has dismissed these accusations, stating that investment decisions are made by large financial institutions rather than individual family members. Notably, more than half of Trump's pardons in his second term have been granted to individuals convicted of white-collar crimes, including politicians and business figures. Buyer also participated in Trump's transition team in 2016.
