US President plans mass pardons for aides before leaving office - WSJ
Donald Trump (photo: Getty Images)
US President Donald Trump has promised to pardon officials in his administration before leaving office to protect them from possible future prosecution, according to The Wall Street Journal.
According to sources, a year ago, Trump spoke with advisers in a dining room near the Oval Office and stated that he would hold a press conference and announce mass pardons before ceasing to be president.
"I’ll pardon everyone who has come within 200 feet of the Oval," the president said at another recent meeting.
As the WSJ's interlocutors explained, Trump has repeatedly raised the issue of pardons during conversations with White House aides and other officials.
This was especially true when staff members hinted that they might face prosecution or congressional investigations over decisions they had made.
As the WSJ writes, Trump is known for joking about topics that he later raises seriously. Thus, the frequent mentions have led some aides to believe that the US leader is serious about the pardons as well.
At the same time, several aides said that Trump raises the issue of pardons so often that some of his advisers now laugh about it.
Former administration officials also said that Trump considered pardoning White House officials after the Capitol riot on January 6, 2021, at the end of his first term. But ultimately, he did not do so. Later, Trump told his advisers that he should have issued the pardons.
After returning to the White House in 2025, Trump issued approximately 1,600 pardons. Of these, about 1,500 of those pardoned were charged in connection with the events of January 6.
Additionally, the WSJ cited another example of Trump's promises made during his first term. At one point during his presidency, he hinted to immigration enforcement officials that he would pardon them if they ordered border guards to physically prevent migrants from entering the country. However, former officials say they did not take that offer seriously.
Trump's pardons
Returning to the topic of pardoning about 1,500 people, it is worth recalling that one of Trump's supporters refused to be released, calling it a disregard for the rule of law. This refers to Pamela Hemphill, who was involved in the attack on the US Capitol on January 6, 2021.
We also wrote that Trump, during his second term, pardoned his former lawyer Rudy Giuliani and others accused of the 2020 election fraud case.
