Trump has no power to pardon Nicki Minaj's brother, Jelani Maraj, despite online rumours that she is seeking the president's help to secure Maraj's release. A New York jury convicted Maraj of a child sex crime under state law. Presidents cannot pardon state crimes. No available published report shows Minaj asking for a pardon.
Those rumours resurfaced after Minaj, the rapper, urged young Americans to 'vote red' on Fox News on Saturday, 26 September. A pardon can ease some or all consequences of a conviction, while a commutation can shorten a prison sentence. For Maraj's New York state convictions, the governor, not the president, can grant either.
