Trump reportedly considered mass pardons for his entourage before leaving office

President Donald Trump reportedly raised, in private conversations, the possibility of granting pardons to a large group of collaborators before leaving the White House, according to an exclusive published by the Wall Street Journal.

According to the report, the president has repeated this idea in various meetings with advisers and officials, which has generated both laughter and unease within his own entourage.

Repeated comments inside the White House

According to people familiar with the conversations, Trump has joked - albeit insistently - about the idea of granting pardons to those who have been near the Oval Office.

"I will pardon everyone who has been within 200 feet of the Oval Office," he reportedly said at a recent meeting.

In other meetings, the president even jokingly reduced that distance, suggesting that the range might be less. While some aides interpreted the comments as humor, others consider that the reiteration could reflect real intent.

The report also indicates that Trump has mentioned the possibility of announcing these pardons at a press conference before leaving office, although there is no evidence of concrete decisions on specific cases.

The use of the pardon power

Presidential pardon power in the United States is broad and discretionary. In his current term, Trump has made use of this power more frequently than in his first term, granting more than a thousand pardons and commutations, some of them to political allies or close figures.

From the White House, press secretary Karoline Leavitt downplayed the president's comments:.

"The Wall Street Journal should learn to take a joke; however, the president's pardoning power is absolute," she said.

Political concerns and background

The political context also plays into these discussions. Aides have noted that Trump has mentioned pardons in scenarios where officials expressed concern about possible future investigations or legal action, especially in the face of a possible change in congressional control.

In addition, the use of pardons has already been the subject of debate in recent administrations. Former President Joe Biden also granted preemptive pardons to figures close to the end of his term, including a "full and unconditional" pardon to his son Hunter, which some analysts consider a relevant precedent.

Legal experts warn that the broad use of this power could have implications for the behavior of officials. Liz Oyer, a former Justice Department lawyer, noted that these types of messages could incentivize riskier decisions within the government.