Trump signals preemptive pardons for aides if Democrats retake Congress

Donald Trump said he would issue preemptive pardons to his aides and allies if Democrats win a congressional majority in the midterm elections.

Appearing on a New York Post podcast Monday (local time), Trump was asked whether he would be willing to grant preemptive pardons if Democrats retook control of Congress. "If it's necessary, I'll do it. Absolutely," he said. Asked whether the scope would cover everyone who worked for him — from cabinet members to Tesla CEO Elon Musk — Trump said yes, adding, "I did it for J6 too."

J6 refers to Trump's supporters who stormed the US Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, in an attempt to block the certification of Joe Biden's presidential election victory. On his first day back in office, Trump pardoned roughly 1,500 people involved in the Capitol riot.

Trump also claimed that Biden had done the same. "Biden did it. He pardoned everybody," Trump said. The remark appeared to reference Biden's decision, shortly before Trump's inauguration last year, to issue preemptive pardons to senior aides — including former Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Mark Milley — as well as members of his own family, citing concerns about political retaliation.

The comments reflect a widely held view in Washington political circles that Democrats are poised to launch investigations into Trump administration officials the moment they regain a congressional majority. Word has spread in the capital that Democrats have identified Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth as their top investigative target and are preparing a sweeping probe of the Trump administration once they control Congress.

Trump dismissed polls showing Democrats with an advantage in the midterms, calling the results "rigged" and arguing that Republican turnout at his rallies suggested the party would outperform its polling numbers. "I guess they don't poll Republicans," he said. "But we're going to do well. You can tell by the rallies. The rally sizes are the biggest ever."

Trump acknowledged the constitutional provision barring a president from serving a third term, while saying he would still like to run again if given the chance. "I'd love to run again if I had the opportunity, but the language of the 22nd Amendment is very clear," he said. "A recent poll showed me leading every opponent by a lot. I'd love to run, but that's OK."

In the same podcast, released Monday, Trump said that if Democrats won a congressional majority he would likely become "Mr. Veto," signaling his intent to block Democratic legislation. "If bills keep getting vetoed for a month or two, they're just wasting their time," he said. "They'll come to me and make a deal."