Trump Tells Aides He Wants To Pardon Himself: Report

[Amber]

The drama that has unfolded within United States politics in the last 36 hours will surely dominate chapters in history books to come. Following the violent siege at the U.S. Capitol building yesterday afternoon, Trump was banned from Instagram and Facebook for his persistent questioning of the legitimacy of the democratic process. With many pointing the finger at Trump for ultimately being the root of the violent riot and talks of impeachment ringing in the air, the 74-year-old has apparently suggested to aides that he would like to pardon himself from the presidency during his final days in office.  

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As reported by The New York Times, two people close to the discussions claimed that Trump admitted to his advisers he's thinking about granting himself a pardon. He also continued the discussions about possible consequences he would face if he does self-pardon with other people in his administration, a move that has never been seen before in United States history. The insiders claim the talks occurred before the violent mob breached the Capitol, and at this time it's uncertain if he has spoken about them since. 

If Trump were to issue himself clemency and some of the other people he's considering pardoning like Donald Jr., Eric Trump, Ivanka Trump, and senior adviser Jared Kushner, experts predict he could set a dangerous precedent for future presidents to act above the law. He has reportedly been asking advisers about who else he should pardon in his final days of presidency, bragging about having the power to issue clemency. 

Those close to the president have warned him of potential legal ramifications for inciting the events at the Capitol on Wednesday, especially because of his continued spread of false claims of election fraud on social media. White House aides claim the former socialite refused to publicly condemn the acts of his supporters, allegedly watching in joy as they violently destroyed federal property. 

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As usual, we'll keep you updated with more news on the aftermath of the attempted coup at the Capitol. 

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