Even yourself ?: Trump wants to pardon over 100 people

Even yourself?
Trump wants to pardon over 100 people

Shortly before the end of his term in office, Trump used a presidential right that he has already made use of many times: he pardons Americans. So far, old companions have mostly benefited.

According to insiders, US President Donald Trump wants to pardon dozens of Americans before he leaves office on Wednesday – but probably not himself and his family. Trump met with advisors on Sunday to compile a list of more than 100 people to either be pardoned entirely or their sentences reduced, an insider said. The names could then be announced on Tuesday, Trump's last full day in the presidency.

Trump has exercised the right of pardon several times during his presidency. For example, he granted his former campaign advisor from 2016, George Papadopoulos, full remission. He had pleaded guilty to have lied to FBI officers about his contacts with leading Russian officials.

In his private life, Trump also debated with advisors whether he should take the extraordinary step of issuing a pardon for himself. Advisors warned that this could be interpreted as an admission of guilt, the insider said. Legal experts also consider such a step to be unconstitutional. A self-pardon would violate the basic principle that nobody should be a judge in their own case.

With the inauguration of his successor Joe Bidens, Trump loses his immunity. He can then be tried in the ordinary courts. He is threatened with several legal proceedings – for example because of the possible call to storm the Capitol by his supporters or because of allegations of tax offenses.

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