R. Kelly Seeks Clemency from Trump to Trim 30-Year Sentence

Convicted sex offender R. Kelly has filed a clemency request with the White House asking President Trump to commute his 30-year federal sentence for racketeering and sex trafficking; the submission is listed as pending with the Pardon Attorney on the DOJ site, but a White House official says such submissions are not actively tracked and this appears to be a random portal entry. Kelly was convicted in 2021 on multiple counts, including sexual exploitation of children, kidnapping, and forced labor, and his 2025 motion for a new trial and bond was denied; his attorney has previously said he would appeal directly to Trump for help.