Trump Open to Pardoning Administration Officials Before Leaving Office

WASHINGTON — Former President Donald Trump stated in an interview published Thursday that he would be willing to pardon White House officials before the end of a potential second term. "Yeah, sure I'd do that," Trump told Time magazine during a sitdown, adding, "Sleepy Joe Biden, he gave pardons to everyone."

Trump criticized former President Joe Biden's clemency actions during his final months in office. "He gave them to [Dr. Anthony] Fauci," Trump said, and also claimed Biden issued pardons to members of the House Select January 6th Committee and even members of his own family who had not been charged with crimes. Biden also pardoned his son, Hunter Biden, in December 2024 for gun and tax felonies, despite prior denials from the White House.

During his own presidency, Trump issued pardons to approximately 1,500 individuals charged in connection with the January 6, 2021, Capitol breach. In contrast, Biden commuted sentences or granted clemency to thousands of individuals, many convicted of non-violent drug offenses, in his final two months in office.

Democrats have initiated investigations into some Trump administration officials. For example, former Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem has faced calls for investigations, and War Secretary Pete Hegseth has been a subject of impeachment discussions among some Democrats. An aide to Noem, Corey Lewandowski, had previously expressed confidence in receiving a pardon, though he later denied making such statements.

These investigations by congressional Democrats could potentially form the basis for future prosecutions. Trump, in the same interview, also expressed frustration with the line of questioning from the magazine's reporters, stating he had not been asked any "positive questions" and asserting he deserved credit for improving the White House and achieving a victory against Venezuela.