Can Trump Pardon Himself? | Summary and Q&A

TL;DR

The episode discusses whether Trump has the power to pardon himself and the potential implications of such an action.

Key Insights

• ❓ The Department of Justice in 1974 stated that a president cannot pardon themselves.
• 🍝 While there is no explicit prohibition in the Constitution, past opinions and experts suggest that a president cannot pardon themselves.
• 🎺 Trump could potentially be pardoning himself to avoid future prosecution, rather than admitting guilt.
• 🎺 Trump can only pardon federal crimes and not future crimes or state crimes.
• 👪 Trump can pardon his family for federal crimes, but not for state crimes.
• 🧑‍💼 If Trump does pardon himself or his family, it may have implications for him running for any further public office.
• ❓ Trump's potential pardon may not have a significant impact on his followers' support.

Transcript

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Questions & Answers

Q: Can Trump use his presidential pardon to pardon himself?

The Department of Justice has stated that a president cannot pardon themselves, as it goes against the principle of someone judging themselves. However, the Constitution does not explicitly forbid it.

Q: What can Trump actually pardon as the president?

Trump can only pardon federal crimes that he has been convicted of or is currently being prosecuted for. He cannot pardon future crimes or state crimes.

Q: Can Trump pardon his family for their actions while he was president?

Trump can pardon his family for federal crimes, but not for state crimes. However, his pardon power does not extend to crimes that have not yet occurred.

Q: Do you think Trump will use his presidential pardon for himself or his family members?

There is a possibility that Trump may use his pardon power to protect his family, as he has shown loyalty and protectiveness towards them in the past.

Summary & Key Takeaways

• The Department of Justice in 1974 stated that a president cannot pardon themselves as a person cannot judge themselves.

• While the Constitution does not explicitly forbid a president from pardoning themselves, past opinions and experts suggest that it is not permissible.

• Trump's potential desire to pardon himself could be to avoid future prosecution, rather than admitting guilt.