Trump leaves door open to aides’ pardons

Washington: President Donald Trump left open the possibility of pardoning administration officials, saying he wanted to protect innocent people from costly investigations, while maintaining that he had not considered such a move.

Speaking to reporters after voting early in Palm Beach, Florida, on Saturday, Trump was asked whether he was considering pardons for junior officials to shield them from congressional inquiries.

“So certainly, I haven't thought about it, but certainly I'd be allowed to,” he said.

“Well, I haven't thought of it, but I will tell you, it would be very unfair to go through what we went through for four years, with the corrupt weaponization that took place,” Trump said.

His description of those investigations as corrupt was a political allegation.

Trump invoked Biden’s use of pardons, including protections for people involved in the congressional investigation of the January 6, 2021, attack on the US Capitol.

He criticised the committee and argued that Biden’s actions provided a precedent for protecting others. But he did not confirm the reporter’s premise that his administration was developing a plan.

When another reporter tried to move to Ukraine, Trump continued discussing pardons and the financial consequences of becoming an investigative target.

“The, the presidential pardons are, they say the most powerful thing a president has,” he said.

His remarks framed possible clemency as protection for people he considered innocent, rather than a response to a specified conviction or charge.

The comments came as Trump discussed his campaigning ahead of the midterm elections. Asked separately about working with Democrats if they gained control of either chamber of Congress, he said he wanted to preserve his administration’s legislative achievements and expressed confidence in his campaign efforts.

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