Trump to regain pardon power: Here's who could be looking for help

President-elect Trump will gain back vast powers when he retakes the nation's highest office, including the ability to grant pardons.

During his first four years as president, Trump granted 144 pardons — a notably low number that included several of his allies. Excluding President Biden, whose term is not yet up, the only president in modern history to grant fewer pardons is President George H.W. Bush.

But heading into his second term, Trump has promised vast clemency for some and hinted at relief for others, raising the specter that waves of pardons are on the horizon.

Here’s who Trump might pardon upon returning to the White House.

Steve Bannon

Steve Bannon, a right-wing provocateur and Trump’s former chief strategist, was convicted of two counts of contempt of Congress after refusing to comply with a congressional subpoena related to the Jan. 6, 2021, Capitol attack.

He was sentenced to four months in prison, which he completed in October, and could be among those who receive clemency from Trump.

During his first term, Trump gave Bannon a “full and unconditional pardon” for his role in a scheme to raise funds for Trump’s border wall between the U.S. and Mexico. New York state prosecutors subsequently launched their own investigation into the matter.

Peter Navarro

Ex-Trump White House adviser Peter Navarro was released from a Miami federal prison in July after serving a four-month sentence for evading the House committee that investigated Jan. 6.

Though Navarro seems a likely candidate for a Trump pardon, he has said he’s not seeking clemency. Instead, he hopes his appeal of his conviction, which is ongoing, will reach the Supreme Court.

“It’s crying out for the Supreme Court to do this,” Navarro told reporters before beginning his prison term.

Walt Nauta and Carlos De Oliveira

In Trump’s federal classified documents case, he was charged alongside two other defendants: his valet, Walt Nauta, and Carlos De Oliveira, the property manager of his Mar-a-Lago estate.

Though the case was dismissed, special counsel Jack Smith is still pursuing an appeal of that ruling for Nauta and De Oliveira because, unlike Trump, “no principle of temporary immunity applies to them,” his office wrote in court filings. That leaves open the possibility that Trump could pardon his former co-defendants.

A number of Trump allies, however, are largely out of luck. Dozens of associates face state charges tied to efforts to subvert the 2020 presidential election after Trump lost, but presidential pardon powers only extend to federal crimes.

Jan. 6 rioters

Trump repeatedly vowed on the campaign trail to pardon rioters accused of storming the Capitol on Jan. 6.

“The moment we win, we will rapidly review the cases of every political prisoner unjustly victimized by the Harris regime, and I will sign their pardons on Day 1,” Trump said in September.

The range of conduct and resulting charges from that day vary widely. While many rioters were charged with misdemeanors, several extremist group leaders were convicted by juries of seditious conspiracy. It remains to be seen how many Jan. 6 defendants will receive relief.

Hunter Biden

Hunter Biden is scheduled to be sentenced in December on separate gun and tax charges. President Biden, Hunter’s father, has ruled out pardoning his son.

Trump, however, did not rule out pardoning the younger Biden when asked by conservative radio host Hugh Hewitt during an Oct. 24 interview.

“I wouldn’t take it off the books,” Trump said. “See, unlike Joe Biden, despite what they’ve done to me, where they’ve gone after me so viciously, despite what — and Hunter’s a bad boy. There’s no question about it. He’s been a bad boy.”

Eric Adams

Trump has publicly empathized with New York City Mayor Eric Adams (D) after federal prosecutors unsealed corruption charges against him.

“He was honest, and I said he will be indicted within a year, and that's what happened,” Trump said in September. “And I noticed the indictment is very old. It goes back a long time. Well, I had the same thing they got, they went way before the statute of limitations. So, I wish him well.”

During an appearance on CNN last week, anchor Wolf Blitzer repeatedly pressed Adams on whether he has discussed a pardon with Trump, given that the mayor has repeatedly emphasized he wants to work with the president-elect. The mayor deflected and said his legal team will handle his case.

“I don't go into private conversations, but that is not on my agenda,” Adams said of a pardon.

George Santos

Disgraced former Rep. George Santos (R-N.Y.) is set to be sentenced Feb. 7, less than three weeks after Trump’s inauguration, after pleading guilty to felony wire fraud and aggravated identity theft charges. Santos faces a mandatory two-year prison sentence.

When asked by a reporter at The Hill last year about the possibility of a Trump pardon, Santos retorted, "Why is that little brain of yours going there?”

“I'm not into dwelling into the future,” he said at the time.

Santos has been a vocal advocate for Trump and his Cabinet picks, traveling to the Capitol to advocate for former Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.) to be confirmed as attorney general before he withdrew.

Santos told reporters during his visit that requesting a pardon is “not a conversation I’ve had. I don’t intend on having that conversation.”

Julian Assange

WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange could also land on Trump’s pardon list.

In a podcast appearance earlier this year, the former president said he would “give very serious consideration” to a pardon of Assange, who recently pleaded guilty to one felony count under the Espionage Act for his role in publishing classified military information as part of a plea deal to secure his freedom.

Trump has also said he’s open to potentially pardoning Edward Snowden, whom he previously called a “traitor.” His nominee for director of national intelligence, Tulsi Gabbard, lobbied for Trump to pardon Snowden during his first term.

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