Trump Says He Would Offer Preemptive Pardons to Shield Allies
President Trump said he would grant preemptive pardons to his staff and allies if Democrats take Congress and prosecute them. He spoke in a "Pod Force One" interview with Miranda Devine.
- Trump on pardoning everyone who worked for him: "I'd do it."
- 1,500 Jan. 6 defendants got pardons from Trump on his first day back.
- Trump cited Joe Biden's final-hours pardons as precedent.
- On reported talk of investigating Musk, Trump said, "we'll have to protect them."
Why it matters: Trump is signaling how he would respond to a Democratic Congress in his final two years. Polls show Democrats favored to win the House.
- Sen. Elissa Slotkin said a Democratic majority should prosecute cases against Trump's enablers.
- Federal pardons do not cover state crimes, civil suits or impeachment.
How 5 sources split on this story
Where they split: Coverage differs on emphasis: whether the story is Trump shielding allies or Democrats threatening to prosecute them.
Center coverage, 2 sources: The center casts the remarks as Trump preparing for a combative final two years amid a possible Democratic wave.
Left coverage, 2 sources: The left frames the story around Trump's stated willingness to issue preemptive pardons, relayed largely through his own words.
Right coverage, 1 sources: The right presents the pardons as a defensive answer to Democratic threats to prosecute Trump staff and allies.
What’s next: Midterm results come Tuesday night. Trump called the polls "rigged" and predicted Republicans will outperform.
- Rep. Jamie Raskin, likely Judiciary chairman under a Democratic House, has pledged to investigate what he calls "systemic corruption."
- Would Trump issue pardons before any charges are filed, and to whom specifically?
- Would Trump pardon himself? He said, "Well, I don't know about me."
