President Donald Trump said in a new interview that he is considering pre-emptively pardoning members of his administration before the end of his term.
In an interview with Time magazine published Thursday, Trump was asked whether he would issue pardons to administration officials. “Yeah, sure I’d do that,” he replied. When pressed for details, Trump referenced a 2024 decision by President Joe Biden, who issued blanket pardons to administration officials and others who had worked under Trump, including former Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Mark Milley and Dr. Anthony Fauci. Biden’s pardons were framed as protections against potential political targeting.
Trump stated, “Sleepy Joe gave pardons to everybody. He gave them to Fauci. He gave them to this. But you mean I’m not allowed to give them, but Sleepy Joe’s allowed to give them?”
Earlier reporting by The Wall Street Journal in April indicated that Trump had privately discussed pardoning top administration officials. According to people familiar with the discussions, Trump told advisers last year that he planned to announce mass pardons before leaving office. In a meeting, he reportedly said, “I’ll pardon everyone who has come within 200 feet of the Oval.”
During the Time interview, Trump also addressed potential political retaliation if Republicans lose control of the House in the midterm elections. “They’ll probably go after me and I’ll go after them,” he said.
Democrats have indicated that if they regain control of the House, their top priority would include healthcare-related actions, such as reversing Medicaid cuts implemented under Trump and extending Affordable Care Act tax credits that expired last year. House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., has not publicly commented on Trump’s pardon remarks.
The White House has not issued an official statement regarding the potential pardons.