Harris refuses to rule out pardoning Trump if he wins the election

Kamala Harris has refused to rule it out pardon Donald Trump if she is elected president in two weeks.

The vice president sat down for a one-on-one interview with NBC News’ Hallie Jackson on Tuesday at her official residence at the Naval Observatory in Washington DC, where she addressed sexism among the electorate and said there will be no concessions when she arrives . to access to abortion.

But when asked if he would pardon Trump, the first former president to be criminally convicted, if he wins the election, he Democratic candidate he dodged the question and said he wouldn’t engage in “hypotheticals.”

“I will not enter into these hypotheticals. I am focused on the next 14 days”, said the vice-president, exactly two weeks before election day.

Jackson questioned whether pardoning Trump could bridge the divide in the US and help unify the country.

“But do you think, is there a part of you that subscribes to the argument that’s been made in the past that a pardon could help bring America together, could help unify the country and move them, move forward?” she asked.

“Let me tell you what will help us move forward,” Harris replied. “If I am elected President of the United States.”

On May 30, Trump was convicted of 34 counts of falsifying business records in connection with a hush money payment to former porn star Stormy Daniels to quash affair rumors just weeks after the 2016 elections.

Trump’s sentencing was originally scheduled for September 18, but Judge Juan Merchan pushed back the date. It is now expected to take place on November 26, just weeks after Election Day on November 5.

The former president also faces criminal charges in two other cases: one federal and one state in Georgia.

In the federal case, Trump is charged with four felonies for allegedly trying to overturn the 2020 election.

The case was halted after the Supreme Court ruled in July that presidents are immune from criminal prosecution for official acts while in office.

Since then, prosecutors have filed a superseding indictment and released a wealth of evidence, laying out their case of Trump’s “increasingly desperate efforts” to cling to power with “knowingly false pre-election claims.” .

In Georgia, Trump is accused of trying to overturn his 2020 loss in the state as part of a sprawling racketeering case. He was initially given 13 offenses in August 2023, which were later reduced to 10.

The case, which is being led by Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis, was prompted in part by a leaked phone call in which Trump asked a top Georgia election official to “find 11,780 votes.”

Trump had been indicted in a fourth case over his alleged mishandling of classified documents. But that case was dismissed by a Florida judge on July 15 on the grounds that the appointment of special counsel Jack Smith to oversee the case was unconstitutional.

Trump has pleaded not guilty to all criminal charges against him.

If Trump is re-elected, he could theoretically pardon himself or order the federal charges against him to be dropped.

However, it would not have the power to overturn state charges.

Despite Harris’ refusal to address questions about a possible Trump pardon, the vice president has regularly used Trump’s convictions and ongoing criminal cases as a line of attack during her campaign.

During the Sept. 10 presidential debate, Harris told his rival, “This is so rich coming from someone who has been prosecuted for national security crimes, economic crimes, election interference, sexual assault and his next big court appearance is in November at his own criminal sentencing.”