» Trumpsaid to have talked about pardoning himself.
PresidentDonaldTrumphas suggestedtoaideshewants to pardonhimselfinthefifififififinaldays ofhispresidency, accordingto twopeoplewithknowledgeof the discussions, a move that would mark one of the most extraordinary and untested uses of presidential power in American history.
In several conversations sinceElectionDay, Trumphas told advisers that he is considering giving himself a pardon and, in other instances, askedwhether he shouldand what the effffffffffffect would be on him legally and politically, according to the two people. It was not clear whether he has broached the topic since he incited his supporters on Wednesday to stormtheCapitol in a mob attack.
Trumphasshownsignsthat his level of interest inpardoning himself goes beyond idle musings. He has long maintained he has the power to pardon himself and his polling of aides’ views is typically a sign that he is preparing to followthroughonhisaims. He
President Donald Trump hasmaintained throughout his presidency that he has the authority to pardon himself and fifirst discussed the possibility with aides as early as his fifirst year in offiffice.
has also become increasingly convinced that his perceived enemieswill use the levers of lawenforcementtotarget him after he leaves offiffice.
Nopresident has pardoned himself, so the legitimacy of prospective self-clemencyhas never been tested in the justice system and legal scholars aredividedaboutwhether the courts would recognize it. But they agree a presidential self-pardon could create a dangerous new precedent for presidents to unilaterally
declaretheyareabove thelaw and to insulate themselves frombeing held accountable for any crimes they committed in offiffice.
A White House spokesperson did not respond to a request for comment.
Trump has considered a range ofpre-emptivepardons for family, includinghis three oldest children — Donald Jr., EricTrumpandIvankaTrump — Ivanka Trump’s husband, senior White House adviser Jared Kushner, and for close associates like the president’s personallawyerRudyGiuliani. Trumphasexpressedconcerns toadvisers thataBidenJustice Departmentmight investigate all of them.
Trump, whohas toldadvisers how much he likes having the power to issue clemency, has for weeks solicited aidesandalliesforsuggestions on whom to pardon. He has also offffffffffffered pre-emptive pardons to advisers and administration offifficials. Many were takenaback because theydid not believe they were in legal jeopardy and that accepting his offffffffffffer would be seen as an admission of guilt, according to the two people.
Presidential pardons apply only to federal law and provide no protection against state crimes. Theywould not applytocharges that couldbe broughtbyprosecutorsinManhattaninvestigatingtheTrump Organization’s fifinances.
The discussions between Trump and his aides about a self-pardon came before his pressureover theweekendon Georgia offifficials to help him try to overturn the elections results orhis incitement of the riots at the Capitol.