Trump ‘could pardon himself’

A LAWYER for Donald Trump said on Sunday the president “probably” had the power to pardon himself from any charges stemming from the probe into Russian meddling, while adding that the chances were dimming of the president agreeing to an interview with the special counsel leading the inquiry.

Former NewYork Mayor Rudy Giuliani, a recent addition to the Trump legal team, told ABC’s ThisWeek that a president “probably does” have the power to pardon himself, even while he insisted that Trump had no intention of doing so.

“I think the political ramifications of that would be tough,” Giuliani added. “Pardoning other people is one thing. Pardoning yourself is another.”

But the very notion sparked sharp dissent, including from a fellow Republican and sometime Trump adviser, former New Jersey governor Chris Christie.

“Listen, there’s no way that’ll happen,” Christie told ABC. “The reason it won’t is because then it becomes a political problem . . . If the president were to pardon himself, he’ll get impeached.”

House Republican Majority leader Kevin McCarthy also told CNN that no president should pardon himself.

And Preet Bharara, who like Giuliani is a former New York prosecutor, agreed.

Bharara, who was appointed by former president Barack Obama, said for a president to pardon himself would be “outrageous.” It would amount, he added, to “almost self-executing impeachment”.