Trump Says He Would Pardon Administration Officials, Points to Biden's Preemptive Pardons

President Donald Trump said he would be open to pardoning members of his administration before he leaves office, pointing to former President Joe Biden's preemptive pardons in the final hours of his presidency.

In an interview with Time published Thursday, the magazine asked the president whether he was considering pardons for administration officials if Democrats regained power and sought to investigate them.

"Yeah, sure I'd do that," Trump replied.

Pressed on whether it was something he would seriously consider, the president quickly turned the focus to his predecessor.
"Well, Sleepy Joe Biden, he gave pardons to everyone," Trump said.

The president briefly went back to discussing photographs of the White House he had been showing the magazine, then returned to the topic of pardons.
"It was a disappointment to a lot of Republicans," he said. "So that's just – well, Sleepy Joe gave pardons to everybody. He gave them to [Anthony] Fauci. He gave them this. But, you mean, I'm not allowed to give them, but Sleepy Joe's allowed to give them?"

Biden did issue an extraordinary series of preemptive pardons as he prepared to leave office on Jan. 20, 2025.

Among those pardoned were Fauci and retired Gen. Mark Milley, the former chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.

Biden also pardoned members and staff of the House committee that investigated the Jan. 6 Capitol riot, along with police officers who testified before the panel.

At the time, Biden said the pardons were intended to protect public servants from what he feared could become politically motivated investigations or prosecutions under the incoming Trump administration.

The pardons were not issued in response to any criminal charges. Biden said they should not be viewed as admissions of wrongdoing.
Just hours before leaving office, Biden also pardoned five members of his own family.

Trump, for his part, made extensive use of his own clemency powers after returning to the White House.

The president pardoned roughly 1,500 people who had been charged or convicted in connection with the Jan. 6 attack. He also commuted the sentences of several others.

Trump's comments to Time suggest he sees Biden's actions as a precedent for his own potential use of the pardon power.

The president's argument centers on what he views as a double standard. In his remarks, Trump questioned why Biden was permitted to issue sweeping pardons while he himself might face criticism for doing the same.

The question from Time focused specifically on a scenario in which Democrats return to power and move to investigate members of the Trump administration. Trump's answer was direct, saying he would be willing to issue pardons in that situation.

His response mirrors the reasoning Biden gave for his own pardons, which the former president said were meant to shield public servants from possible politically motivated investigations.

Biden's last-minute clemency covered a wide range of figures, from Fauci and Milley to the Jan. 6 committee members, staff and testifying police officers, as well as five of his own family members.

Trump said the moves were a disappointment to many Republicans.