President Donald Trump said he is ready to issue preemptive pardons to his aides and allies, and to protect Elon Musk, if Democrats win Congress on Tuesday and come after them.
“I would if I needed to. Sure,” Trump told Miranda Devine on the New York Post’s “Pod Force One” podcast. Asked whether that covered everyone who had worked in his administration, he said it did.
“I did it for J6,” Trump added, pointing to the roughly 1,500 Jan. 6 defendants he pardoned on his first day back in office in 2025.
He also cited former President Joe Biden, who used his final hours in office to pardon Dr. Anthony Fauci, Gen. Mark Milley, members and staff of the House Jan. 6 committee and several relatives, including his son Hunter.
“That’s what Biden did. He gave everybody a pardon,” Trump said. According to Axios, he added, “I would not even think about it. I’d do it.”
Devine asked Trump about talk on the left of arresting Musk, the world’s richest man, and seizing his assets. Trump brushed it off. “It won’t happen. It’s talk,” he said. “But if it is talk, we’ll have to protect them.”
Musk has poured about $474 million into boosting Republicans in the 2026 midterms, USA Today reported, including $212 million to help Texas Senate nominee Ken Paxton.
House Democrats have signaled they could investigate Musk’s run leading the Department of Government Efficiency, his companies’ federal contracts and his role in Ukraine’s access to the Starlink satellite network.
Trump’s remarks follow open talk from Democrats about prosecutions. Last month, Sen. Elissa Slotkin (D-Mich.) said a Democratic majority should pursue “signature cases” against “the people who enable” Trump, the Post noted.
Her stated goal was to make young conservatives think twice about taking jobs in the administration. “I want that deterrence message sent,” Slotkin said.
Rep. Jamie Raskin (D-Md.), in line to chair the House Judiciary Committee if Democrats flip the chamber, has promised to root out what he calls the administration’s “systemic corruption.”
Pardons have limits, though. They cover only federal crimes and offer no shield from state prosecutions, civil lawsuits or impeachment.
The White House has been preparing for a Democratic Congress for months. Deputy chief of staff Stephen Miller and budget director Russell Vought have worked since April on executive actions covering immigration, tariffs, housing costs and spending, Reuters reported.
White House lawyers have also briefed political appointees on handling subpoenas and document requests and advised officials to be careful about what they put in writing, according to a White House official and two people familiar with the plans.
Trump called polls showing Democrats favored to win the House “rigged” and pointed to his rally crowds as a sign Republicans will beat expectations.
He also said he would love a third term but conceded “the language is very exacting,” Axios reported. “You know, we have more than two years left. That’s a long time,” he said.
Content created by Conservative Daily News and some content syndicated through CDN is available for re-publication without charge under the Creative Commons license. Visit our syndication page for details and requirements.
Rep. Debbie Dingell says Rep. Haley Stevens called reports she would back Republican Mike Rogers…
Marine Corps Maj. Ross Lindsey Iams received the Medal of Honor for his courageous acts…
The Justice Department told election officials in all 50 states they could face prosecution for…
A federal magistrate judge dismissed charges that two former FBI officials lied to Congress about…
With Americans about to decide which party will control Congress, pollsters and political commentators are…
California’s latest proposed tax increase has already led to so much wealth fleeing the state…