PANews reported on January 22 that President Trump is expected to commute the life sentence of Ross Ulbricht, the founder of the dark web site Silk Road, according to the New York Post. A White House source said at noon on Tuesday that Ulbricht's pardon was "coming soon." Ulbricht's commutation lawyer, Brandon Sample, told the New York Post in an email on Tuesday: "We do expect President Trump to grant a pardon."

When asked later when he could expect to receive a pardon, Sample responded: "The president said during the campaign that if he wins the 2024 election, he will release Ross on his first day in office. We have no doubt that the president will fulfill his promise to release Ross. Ross, his family, and all his supporters are grateful to President Trump for his willingness to show mercy to Ross."

Trump vowed in May 2024 to commutate Ulbricht's life sentence for drug trafficking and money laundering to "time served" if he won the election.