President Joe Biden confided to Utah Gov. Spencer Cox that he had discussed the possibility of pardoning former President Donald Trump with First Lady Jill Biden, according to an anecdote from Cox's upcoming book.
Cox recounted the conversation, which took place in August 2023 during a discussion in the presidential limousine in Salt Lake City. He told Biden that he believed the president should pardon Trump to deescalate political turmoil, as Trump was facing multiple indictments at the time. Cox expressed concern that prosecuting the former president would intensify partisan retribution.
According to Cox, Biden responded that he had been considering the idea and that he and the first lady had a lengthy conversation about it just that week. Biden reportedly acknowledged that people were "demanding justice" but that he was entertaining the concept of a Trump pardon.
At the time of their conversation, Trump had been indicted in connection with efforts to overturn the 2020 presidential election results. He also faced federal charges for alleged mishandling of classified documents and was undergoing a trial in Manhattan for alleged falsification of business records.
A presidential pardon would not have shielded Trump from prosecution in the state-level case in Georgia or the Manhattan trial. Shortly after his conversation with Cox, Trump was indicted on state charges in Georgia.
Biden, who issued 80 pardons during his term, including for his son Hunter Biden and former COVID czar Anthony Fauci, ultimately did not pardon Trump. The notes do not clarify Jill Biden's influence on the final decision.
Months prior to the conversation with Cox, Biden had responded to a question about potentially pardoning Trump with a smile, calling it "a great question" before deferring further comment.
The federal cases against Trump and the Georgia case were later dismissed after Trump won the 2024 presidential election. Trump was convicted on 34 felony counts in his Manhattan trial.