Donald Trump Polling Advisers About Pardoning Himself, Questions Reportedly Now Go ‘Beyond Idle Musings’
A new report alleges that President Donald Trump is getting serious about the idea of pardoning himself before he leaves office. The idea of doing this has swirled around for some time now, but according to the New York Times, the tone of the discussions has recently taken a turn.
The outlet details that it has spoken to two people familiar with recent discussions regarding the possibility of a Trump self-pardon. It seems that talks of this nature have occurred several times since Election Day in November.
Apparently, Trump has told some of his advisers that he is considering doing this, a move that would surely generate a great deal of controversy. The president has also reportedly asked advisers whether he should do this and questioned what the political and legal impact would be on him if he did.
As The Inquisitr detailed last month, there has been a significant amount of speculation regarding this idea. A number of people have theorized that the president might resign before his term ends specifically to have Vice President Mike Pence issue a pardon. However, there has also been talk that Trump may not trust his VP to do that, so he may try to take care of it himself.
The New York Times notes that Trump’s interest in this move has now moved beyond the speculative stage. He has said for some time that he has the power to make this move, although it would be controversial and unprecedented. The difference now is that he is said to be actively polling aides in his orbit about the possibility. Apparently, that habit of polling those close to him is often be seen as a sign he’s prepared to pursue soon.
An additional factor in making this decision could be what appear to be rising tensions between Trump and Pence. Trump had been critical of Pence heading into Wednesday’s electoral vote certification. After the explosive issues that played out at the Capitol on Wednesday, CNN reports that the tensions may have now escalated even further between the two men.
Sources note that the president and his team did little to check on Pence during the hours when the rioting was happening at the Capitol and that the lack of effort did not go unnoticed. Those issues could signal that Trump ultimately will not have the confidence that the more traditional route of obtaining a pardon via Pence is feasible.
