Trump Promises Mass Pardons for Staff Before Leaving Office

In a recent White House meeting, President Trump promised mass pardons for staff before leaving office, saying he would pardon "everyone who has come within 200 feet of the Oval Office." The pledge outlines a plan for broad federal clemency that would be issued en masse in his final days. Federal pardons would shield aides from federal criminal charges, they would not block state prosecutions or related civil lawsuits. This matters because it would limit accountability for allies, reshape legal risk for associates, and heighten political and legal conflict ahead of the midterms.