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Donald Trump has said he “wouldn’t consider” pardoning himself should he return to the Oval Office in November.
The newly confirmed Republican presidential candidate still faces federal cases against him, despite charges over the mishandling of classified documents being dismissed earlier this week. In May, he became the first former president to be convicted of a felony, after a New York jury found him guilty on 34 state counts of falsifying business records to conceal hush money payments to pornstar Stormy Daniels. He also faces charges over alleged election interference in Georgia.
Speaking to Bloomberg Businessweek, Trump was asked about the idea of using his executive power to pardon himself – should he regain the presidency.
“I wouldn’t consider it,” he told the outlet.
His remarks come in contrast to reports by The New York Times, which came in the final days of his presidency in 2021. The outlet reported then that Trump had suggested to aides that he wanted to pardon himself – in the wake of the storming of the Capitol on January 6.
The Times also reported that Trump had considered a range of “pre-emptive pardons” for his family, including his three oldest children — Donald Trump Jr., Eric Trump and Ivanka Trump, as well as Jared Kushner and Rudy Giuliani.
The former president had expressed concerns to advisers that a Biden Justice Department might investigate all of them, the outlet reported.
Trump’s legal issues were eased slightly this week, after federal judge Aileen Cannon threw out a criminal case over his alleged hoarding of government documents and classified materials at his Mar-a-Lago compound after leaving office.
He was also accused of then obstructing law enforcement attempts to get them back.
The bombshell decision from Judge Cannon, who was appointed to the bench by Trump, argued that the appointment of special counsel Jack Smith violated the Constitution and “usurps” the role of Congress in funding that office.
Also on Tuesday, a Georgia appeals court set a December hearing for arguments on the appeal of a lower court ruling allowing Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis to continue to prosecute the election interference case she brought against the former president.
Trump and other defendants had asked the Georgia Court of Appeals to hold oral arguments in the case – which will now take place on December 5.
The timing means the lower court proceedings against Trump, which are on hold while the appeal is pending, will not resume before the November general election, after which Trump may – despite his claims – once again have the power to pardon himself.
