Exclusive: President Trump’s Position on Self-Pardon Revealed – A Dynamic Assessment

In a forthcoming interview with Meet the Press, former President Trump discussed the possibility of pardoning himself if he were to be convicted of any crimes. When asked if he would have pardoned himself if re-elected in 2024, Trump responded at length (watch the full interview in the gallery), revealing that he was advised by lawyers and others during his final days as president that he had the power to pardon himself. However, he firmly stated that he would never do so. “I said the last thing I’d ever do is give myself a pardon,” he asserted, later reiterating, “I said I would never give myself a pardon.” Although the legality of a presidential self-pardon remains untested, according to CNN, and as USA Today explains, a presidential pardon would only apply to federal cases, not state ones that Trump faces.

Trump also took the opportunity to criticize those he perceived as his enemies, labeling them as “thugs, horrible people, fascists, Marxists, sick people” and “sick lunatics,” who he claimed were targeting him for purely political reasons. He argued that if he had pardoned himself before leaving office, he would not be facing the “fake charges” and “Biden indictments” that he believes are politically motivated. Trump added, “Only third-world countries do that, banana republics.” When asked if his commitment to never pardoning himself would still hold, even if he were re-elected, he responded, “I think it’s very unlikely. What did I do wrong? I didn’t do anything wrong. You mean because I challenged an election, they want to put me in jail?” The Daily Beast interpreted Trump’s response as not completely ruling out the possibility of a self-pardon. (Read more Donald Trump stories.)