May 16, 2024

Should Biden Pardon Trump

Philip Kotler

The President of the United States is granted the power by the Constitution to pardon persons of stated crimes. There is no limit to the number of Presidential pardons that a President might give. However heinous the crime, the President can still choose the pardon that person.

Some of Trump’s supporters have requested Biden to give a pardon to Trump before the election. But It is not in Biden’s interest to consider granting a pardon to Donald Trump before the November election. If Biden wins the election, he might consider pardoning Trump out of sympathy for a past President.

If Biden decides to pardon Trump, it should be a “conditional pardon”. This is a new concept. The pardon will be given if the pardonee agrees to meet certain conditions. I would suggest the following four conditions to come from Trump as pledges:

1. I will not run for any elected office in the U.S.

2. I will accept the results of all U.S. elections.

3. I will not hold rallies to spread my views against the current administration.

4. I will not organize a rebellion to oppose the established order.

Even if Biden offered this conditional pardon, Trump probably will not accept the terms.

My guess is that some future Republican President will offer an unconditional pardon to Trump.