Most people think a president only pardons someone after they get in trouble. That is the old way. President Trump has said he will issue preemptive pardons to his entire team before any charges are even filed.
This changes the game completely. If Democrats win control of Congress, they might try to prosecute his staff. Trump says he will stop that before it starts. He told The Post's Miranda Devine in a "Pod Force One" interview that he is willing to do this. When asked if this applied to everyone who worked for him, he said, "I'd do it." He added, "I would if I needed to. Sure."
Why is he doing this? He points to what happened under Joe Biden. Trump claims Biden used this same trick. He said, "That's what Biden did. He gave everybody a pardon." According to New York Post, this included Dr. Anthony Fauci, Gen. Mark Milley, and even Hunter Biden. Trump also noted that Biden pardoned members of the House Jan. 6 committee. He called that group "the unselect committee" and "a corrupt committee."
Trump specifically mentioned his Secretary of War, Pete Hegseth. He wants to protect him and others from legal attacks. He cited his own actions on January 6, 2025, when he pardoned roughly 1,500 defendants from the Capitol riots. He sees this as a necessary shield for his administration.
Why does he feel the need to act now? The threat is real and specific. Senator Elissa Slotkin (D-Mich.) spoke at a University of Chicago event. She said a Democratic majority should prosecute "signature cases" against "the people who enable" Trump. Her goal is clear. Young conservatives should reconsider accepting employment with the Trump administration, according to her.
Townhall recorded undercover footage in which Senator Slotkin stated that each committee would handle its own cases to "hold people accountable." She stated, "I want that deterrence message sent." This is not just talk. It is a plan to target Trump's staff. Trump sees this as an attack on the job itself.
Trump is not going to let them ruin his work. He told Miranda Devine, "I'm not going to let them ruin it." A simple method to stop Democrats if they gain control of both houses of Congress was also noted by him. "I guess I'll become Mr. Veto," he said. He believes his rallies show the people are still with him. "Maybe they don't poll Republicans, but I think we're gonna do pretty well," he said. "The rallies are as big as they've ever been."
