Trump probably has power to pardon himself, says lawyer
WASHINGTON: 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 New York mayor Rudy Giuliani, a recent addition to the Trump legal team, told ABC’s This Week 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 some time 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.
Preet Bharara, who, like Giuliani, is a former New York prosecutor, agreed.
Bharara, who was appointed by former president Barack Obama, told CNN that for a president to pardon himself would be “outrageous”.
It would amount, he added, to “almost self-executing impeachment”.
The talk of self-pardoning has raised eyebrows amid the roiling debate over the Russia meddling inquiry and the president’s cooperation — or lack of it.