Trump Vows 'Tremendous' Pardons Before Term Ends
The president defended his use of clemency power for January 6 defendants and said he likely will not pardon himself.
By Leila Reynolds ·
The executive clemency power has become a central feature of the current administration's legal strategy. President Donald Trump stated on Sunday that he anticipates issuing a large volume of pardons before his second term concludes.
During a '60 Minutes' interview with CBS News correspondent Ross Douthat, Trump described the expected number of grants as "tremendous." He indicated that these actions may extend to individuals who came close to the Oval Office during his presidency. Although he acknowledged the theoretical ability to pardon himself, Trump said he does not expect to exercise that specific option.
The president cited the need to protect allies from prolonged legal scrutiny. "I don’t want to have good people that are serving this country and doing a great job spending the rest of their life like I had to do for four years defending myself by radical left lunatics, by people that were very nasty and mean," Trump said. He characterized the idea of a self-pardon as "not unreasonable," though he stopped short of confirming the move.
This approach follows a similar pattern set by President Joe Biden in 2025. Biden issued preemptive pardons for family members and senior officials, including Dr. Anthony Fauci and retired Gen. Mark Milley, in the final days of his time in office. Biden wrote that his family faced "unrelenting attacks and threats" driven by partisan politics. Trump had previously criticized Biden for not pardoning himself, noting the irony of the predecessor's actions.
Trump’s use of clemency began immediately upon his return to office. He granted full pardons to approximately 1,500 defendants convicted in connection with the January 6, 2021, Capitol attack. The order also commuted the sentences of 14 individuals. This move followed a 2024 Supreme Court decision in Trump vs. US, which granted sweeping immunity to the president and, by extension, to all U.S. presidents.
In the interview, Trump defended the January 6 pardons despite some recipients having attacked law enforcement. He argued that the group was treated unfairly. "I think it's very unfair. I pardoned the J-6s. I don't think any group’s been treated more unfairly than them, and and to this day when they see me, they cry," he said. When asked if that assessment applied to those who engaged police, Trump noted, "There was some that got rough, but you know, they were rough to them, too."
The next phase of this strategy will likely unfold as the president approaches the end of his term. No specific timeline has been announced for the release of the additional pardons Trump mentioned.
