President Trump has spent some of his final hours in office issuing pardons and commutations to over 140 people.
It’s a common practice for outgoing president – and a controversial one too.
While Trump’s tally might sound high, it’s much lower than most of his modern contemporaries, as our graphic shows.
Gerald Ford pardoned his predecessor Richard Nixon for all offences he may have committed, and Jimmy Carter pardoned most who had evaded the Vietnam War draft – both examples of pre-emptive pardons.
Bill Clinton, meanwhile, caused uproar when he pardoned scores of people on his last day in office, including his half-brother Roger.
How and why is clemency issued?
It is common for outgoing presidents to issue pardons before they leave the White House.
Alexander Hamilton proposed the system in 1787, arguing it could “restore the tranquillity of the commonwealth”. It is carried in Article II of the Constitution.
The president can only act on federal, not state, crimes. A pardon cancels a criminal conviction, while a commutation shortens or ends a prison sentence.
Mike Pence to skip Trump farewell ceremony
When President Trump hosts a farewell ceremony for himself at Andrews Air Force Base on Wednesday morning, one man will be notable by his absence – his Vice-President Mike Pence.
Instead Pence will be attending the inauguration of Joe Biden and Kamala Harris.
His aides told the Washington Post that it would it would be “logistically challenging for the vice president to do both.”
Pence has also shared a series of pictures in a farewell tweet – none of them featuring Trump.
Pence has only met once with Trump since 6 January, when pro-Trump rioters at the US Capitol repeatedly chanted: “Hang Mike Pence!”
The vice president and his wife Karen will then fly home to Indiana. It remains unclear whether he intends to run for office again.