Former President Donald Trump addresses self-pardon possibility and legal battles in an NBC interview
In an interview with NBC’s “Meet The Press,” former President Donald Trump discussed the possibility of pardoning himself if he were to be reelected as president. Trump expressed that it is “very unlikely” he would pursue a self-pardon, although he maintains that he doesn’t anticipate being convicted in any of the four trials he currently faces.
Trump is actively seeking to delay all four criminal trials until after the November 5, 2024 Election Day. However, it remains possible that one or more juries could reach verdicts before that date. Importantly, the federal pardon authority may not apply in two of these cases, as they involve state charges. These charges encompass election fraud conspiracy allegations in Georgia and hush-money claims in New York.
Should Trump secure a second presidential term, he could potentially influence the outcome of the two federal cases against him. These cases involve election fraud charges in Washington, D.C., and charges related to the improper handling of classified documents in Florida.
During the NBC interview, Trump revealed that he and his legal team had previously discussed the notion of a self-pardon before his departure from office in early 2021. He mentioned receiving advice from attorneys who believed it was within his authority to self-pardon, but he also received counsel suggesting that such an action could be perceived negatively.
Trump shared, “People said, ‘would you like to pardon yourself?’ I had a couple of attorneys that said, ‘you can do it if you want.'” However, he emphasized his decision not to pursue self-pardoning, stating, “Let me just tell you. I said, ‘The last thing I’d ever do is give myself a pardon.'”
The full interview with Donald Trump, including more insights into his legal challenges and potential political future, is set to air on Sunday morning during Kristen Welker’s debut as host of “Meet The Press.”