High-profile names notably absent from Trump's last minute pardons

Donald Trump has delivered more than 70 pardons in the final hours in office, with several high-profile names notably absent.

Mr Trump granted pardons included his former political strategist Stephen Bannon and US rapper Lil Wayne, who took a gold-plated handgun on a plane.

Those not on the list include Mr Trump's personal lawyer Rudy Giuliani, WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange, Mr Trump's children or their spouses or Mr Trump himself.

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Controversial reality star Joe 'Tiger King' Exotic and US whistleblower Edward Snowden also did not receive pardons.

Mr Giuliani's exclusion from the list may come as little surprise with reports Mr Trump's relationship with the former mayor of New York City souring after Mr Trump failed in his legal attempts to overturn the results of the 2020 US election.

Media reports claim Mr Trump is declining to pay Mr Giuliani's outstanding fees, believed to be about US$20,000 a day.

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There had been much speculation Mr Trump would use his last day in power to afford himself and members of his own family pardons.

However, CNN said an eleventh-hour meeting with his legal advisers caused Mr Trump to nix such plans.

The media outlet said White House counsel Pat Cipollone and high-profile lawyer Eric Herschmann warned Mr Trump from pardoning himself or any member of his family over concern it could place him in a legally difficult position.