Trump plans large wave of presidential pardons before term ends
The president expects to grant clemency to many officials and Jan. 6 defendants, citing his desire to protect loyal aides from future legal challenges.
By Oliver Bennett ·
President Donald Trump stated on Sunday that he anticipates issuing a large volume of pardons before his current term concludes. The remarks appeared in an interview with CBS News that aired as part of the program 60 Minutes.
The president indicated that he expects to grant clemency to individuals who served in his administration. He described the group as good people who are currently serving the country and performing their duties well. His goal is to prevent these individuals from spending years defending themselves against what he called radical left lunatics and mean critics. Trump said he does not expect to pardon himself, though he admitted the idea is not unreasonable.
He specified that the pardons could extend to people who came within a thousand miles of the Oval Office during his presidency. This approach contrasts with the actions of his predecessor, Joe Biden, who issued several preemptive pardons in 2025. Biden protected close family members and senior officials, including Dr. Anthony Fauci and retired Gen. Mark Milley, but did not include himself in that initial wave of clemency.
Trump previously suggested that Biden should have granted himself a pardon. He noted at the time that Biden gave out many pardons but skipped his own. This comment came after the Supreme Court granted Trump sweeping immunity from prosecution in the 2024 case Trump vs. US. That legal ruling applies to all U.S. presidents, including Biden.
The president also defended his earlier decision to pardon roughly 1,500 individuals convicted of offenses related to the Jan. 6, 2021, Capitol attack. He commuted the sentences of 14 individuals and granted full pardons to the rest. Trump argued that the group has been treated unfairly and noted that they often cry when they see him. He acknowledged that some participants got rough but maintained that law enforcement was also rough to them.
Biden had written in a statement in 2025 that his family faced unrelenting attacks and threats motivated by a desire to hurt him. He described the situation as the worst kind of partisan politics. Trump’s current plans mirror this protective strategy, aiming to shield his own team from potential legal scrutiny after he leaves office.
