In a surprising turn of events, former President Donald Trump has granted a full pardon to Ross Ulbricht, the mastermind behind the Silk Road dark web marketplace. Ulbricht, who was serving a life sentence for his role in running the illegal site, has been a polarizing figure in the tech and legal worlds.

Trump shared the news on his Truth Social platform, stating that he made the decision “in honor of [Ulbricht’s] mother and the Libertarian Movement,” which has long supported him. He called Ulbricht’s life sentence “ridiculous” and took aim at the legal officials involved in the case, accusing them of being part of the “weaponization of government.”

Silk Road, which operated from 2011 to 2013, was once the go-to spot for buying and selling drugs, weapons, and other illegal goods using Bitcoin. At its peak, it had nearly a million users worldwide, with about 30% based in the U.S. Ulbricht, known online as “Dread Pirate Roberts,” was arrested in 2013 and later convicted in 2015 on charges including drug trafficking, money laundering, and computer hacking.

Trump’s decision fulfills a promise he made during his 2024 campaign. At the Libertarian Party’s national convention, he vowed to commute Ulbricht’s sentence if elected. “He’s already served 11 years. We’re going to get him home,” Trump declared at the time.

The pardon has sparked mixed reactions. Libertarian leaders celebrated the move, calling Ulbricht a “political prisoner.” However, critics argue that he deserved his sentence, given the harm caused by Silk Road, which was linked to several overdose deaths.

While the legal chapter of Ulbricht’s life may be closing, the debate over his fate—and the implications of his pardon—is far from over.