White House Weighing Preemptive Pardons to Shield Junior Staff from Democrat Lawfare — Finally, a Common-Sense Defense of the Team
White House lawyers are evaluating mass preemptive pardons for young and lower-level Trump administration staffers, according to a Washington Sun report, after groups like Heritage and allies pressed for protections.
This would cover people involved in policies such as deportations or trade, not a full blanket for everyone, and it directly counters threats of endless investigations once Democrats regain power.
Sen. Elissa Slotkin (D-Mich.) openly stated she wants congressional probes of Trump enablers so that young people thinking of joining the administration will say it “might be buying myself a ton of problems I don’t want” and stay away.
That is explicit deterrence through the threat of lawfare, the same tactic used against Trump allies for years, and the White House response is the correct counter.
Biden issued preemptive pardons to Fauci, Milley, and his own family on the way out, setting the precedent, and Trump has already said he will not let people who work for him endure years of legal nonsense and lawyer fees over nothing.
Protecting junior staff, and even non-staff allies like Nick Shirley or Elon Musk if needed, is simply refusing to let the left intimidate people out of serving.- DTP