Trump pardons Giuliani and others accused of plot to overturn 2020 election

Trump's former personal lawyer Rudy Giuliani has been pardoned at federal level

US President Donald Trump has pardoned his former personal lawyer Rudy Giuliani and dozens of other allies who stood accused of trying to overturn the result of the 2020 election.

He also pardoned his former White House chief of staff, Mark Meadows, in a proclamation that vowed to "end a grave national injustice".

Others who benefited from the clemency were a number of so-called false electors, who were accused of trying to hijack the process to certify Joe Biden, a Democrat, as the winner of the election five years ago.

Trump's move is largely symbolic, however, since pardons only apply to federal crimes and all of the recipients were charged by state-level prosecutors only.

Ed Martin, a justice department attorney, posted the "full, complete and unconditional" pardons on X.

The pardons, said the text of the proclamation, would continue "the process of national reconciliation".

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said in a statement to the BBC: "Getting prosecuted for challenging results is something that happens in communist Venezuela, not the United States of America, and President Trump is putting an end to the Biden Regime's communist tactics once and for all."

This round of clemency does not apply to Trump himself - who denies any wrongdoing - though the president has long maintained he has the power to pardon himself. But any such proclamation by him would face legal challenges.

Giuliani declared bankruptcy two years ago after being found liable for $148m (£112m) for spreading falsehoods about Georgia election workers. He was disbarred as a lawyer in Washington DC and New York.

Sidney Powell (centre) and Jenna Ellis (background left) were also pardoned

Also pardoned are former Trump lawyers Sidney Powell, Jenna Ellis, John Eastman and Kenneth Chesebro, who had filed unsuccessful lawsuits challenging the 2020 vote outcome.

Powell had said after that election that electronic voting systems switched millions of votes to Biden and that the Democrat won thanks to "communist money" – claims that led Mr Trump's team to distance itself from her.

On the day he returned to office this year, the Republican president pardoned hundreds of his supporters who were charged with involvement in the US Capitol riot of 2021.

Trump himself was prosecuted on charges of plotting to overturn his loss in 2020, but that case brought by Biden's justice department was thrown out after Trump was re-elected.

Some of the other election-related cases against Trump allies in Arizona, Georgia, Nevada, Michigan and Wisconsin have stalled or collapsed.

Last September, a Michigan judge dismissed forgery and conspiracy charges against 15 Republicans accused of a plot to support Trump's claims he had won the 2020 vote.

Electors are part of the 538-member Electoral College that officially elects presidents, based on the state-by-state results of the general election.