Trump Has Discussed Pardoning Himself

“President Trump has suggested to aides he wants to pardon himself in the final days of his presidency, a move that would mark one of the most extraordinary and untested uses of presidential power in American history,” the New York Times reports.

“In several conversations since Election Day, Mr. Trump has told advisers that he is considering giving himself a pardon and, in other instances, asked whether he should and what the impact would be on him legally and politically… It was not clear whether he has broached the topic since he incited his supporters on Wednesday to storm the Capitol in a mob attack.”

“Mr. Trump has shown signs that his level of interest in pardoning 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 follow through on his aims. He has also become increasingly convinced that his perceived enemies will use the levers of law enforcement to target him after he leaves office.”

Michael Beschloss: “Presidents were never intended to be able to pardon themselves.“