WASHINGTON, D.C. – The President said he would consider pardoning members of his administration before the end of his term.
According to a transcript of an interview with TIME Magazine this week, when he was asked to further elaborate on him considering pardons for his officials and staff, the President referred to pre-emptive pardons by former President Joe Biden at the end of Biden’s presidency.
Right before Biden left the White House, he pardoned his son Hunter Biden, former General Mark Milley, Dr. Anthony Fauci, lawmakers and staffers who helped investigate the January 6, 2021 attack on the US Capitol. Biden said he did so to protect people that were threatened by Trump during the 2024 presidential campaign.
Michigan Senator Elissa Slotkin (D- MI) said the presidential pardon power is out of control for both sides of the aisle and said it should end.
“There’s literally people who are pardon brokers who are being paid 300-thousand dollars to get close to Trump and to buy a pardon,” the Senator said during an event at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. “Ban the presidential pardon. Ban the presidential pardon. It’s not hard- both parties there’s a straight up marketplace for it.”
White House Spokeswoman Lauren Bis sent us this statement in regards to the Senator’s comments:
“Pardons are NOT for sale. President Trump performs his constitutional duties in an ethically sound manner. Anyone spending money to lobby for pardons is foolishly wasting their money. The Trump Administration has a robust pardon review process which includes White House counsel, the Department of Justice, Pardon Czar Alice Johnson, and ultimately, the President himself as the final decider.”
