Trump Threatens to Blanket-Pardon His Inner Circle Again, Ignoring Accountability

Donald Trump is reportedly gearing up to unleash a flood of pardons for his top aides before he exits the White House—again. According to The Wall Street Journal, Trump has repeatedly joked in private meetings about pardoning “everyone who has come within 200 feet of the Oval Office” before his term ends in January 2029. While some laughed it off, sources say the comments suggest a serious plan to grant broad clemency to his inner circle.

White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt dismissed the remarks as a joke but reminded the public that Trump’s pardon power is “absolute.” That power has already been wielded recklessly since Trump’s return to office in 2025. Within days, he pardoned 1,500 individuals tied to the January 6 Capitol attack and has since granted over 1,600 pardons—many to political allies, donors, and controversial figures.

Among those pardoned were a cryptocurrency billionaire who partnered with Trump family members, a former Honduran president convicted of drug-related crimes, and fraudsters who avoided paying restitution to victims. Trump’s pardons have repeatedly rewarded loyalty over justice, undermining the rule of law.

Importantly, Trump’s own immunity from prosecution—secured by a 2024 Supreme Court ruling—does not extend to his staff. By preemptively pardoning aides, Trump could effectively block federal charges tied to their actions on his orders during his remaining time in office.

This strategy mirrors the last-minute pardons issued by President Joe Biden before leaving office in 2025, who controversially pardoned family members and officials involved in January 6 investigations. Trump himself considered mass pardons after January 6 but backed off—only to regret it later.

Now, with Trump’s return to power, the aggressive use of pardons threatens to become a tool for shielding corruption and obstruction on an unprecedented scale. The Constitution grants the president broad pardon authority, but wielding it to protect cronies and cover up abuses is a direct attack on accountability and justice.

We will be watching closely as Trump’s pardon spree unfolds—because when lawlessness is pardoned, democracy itself is at risk.