President Joe Biden chuckled at the question posed by Fox News reporter Peter Doocy on Memorial Day about a potential presidential pardon for former President Donald Trump. Biden’s response was clear – Trump, his associates, and the scores of supporters who rioted at the U.S. Capitol in 2021 aren’t getting off the hook with his help.[0] This question from Doocy wasn’t totally out of left field, however, as Florida Gov.[0] On Thursday, Ron DeSantis stated that he is open to the idea of pardoning individuals who participated in the Capitol insurrection, which includes the former president. However, this decision may impede his already struggling attempt to win the presidential race against Biden next year.
Biden’s reaction to Doocy’s question was one of amusement rather than anger. When questioned about the possibility of presidents granting clemency to Donald Trump following Florida Governor’s decision, there was no comment provided.[1] When Ron DeSantis proposed that he could accomplish the task, President Joe Biden chuckled. He chuckled, raised his hand in dismissal, and turned to walk away.[1] Biden seemed to find the hypothetical query amusing, and he waved it off before jokingly calling it a “great question.”
DeSantis, who officially announced last week he is running for president in 2024, was asked on a conservative podcast whether or not he would consider pardons for Capitol rioters — something Trump has already promised. DeSantis did not reject the idea and suggested that pardons for both the rioters and Trump could be considered. DeSantis said he would consider pardons for Jan 6 rioters and Trump. “I will have folks that will get together and look at all these cases, who are people who are victims of weaponization or political targeting, and we will be aggressive at issuing pardons,” the GOP presidential primary said, adding that it would be done on a “case-by-case basis.”
When asked if he would consider pardoning Trump during an interview with The Clay Travis and Buck Sexton Show last week, DeSantis said he would utilize the “pardon power” in cases where the federal government had been “weaponized against disfavored groups.” “What I’m going to do is … on day one, I will have folks that will get together and look at all these cases [of] people who are victims of weaponization or political targeting, and we will be aggressive at issuing pardons,” he told the “Clay and Buck” radio show.
The inquiry by Doocy is based on current accounts that Governor Ron DeSantis of Florida, who is competing with Trump for the GOP candidacy, has indicated willingness to forgive his opponent. Fox News reporter Peter Doocy asked a question regarding GOP candidate and Florida Governor Ron DeSantis’ recent statement that he would consider granting a pardon to Trump if he becomes President.
In conclusion, while President Biden chuckled at the question of pardoning Trump, DeSantis has left the door open to consider pardons for Trump and the Jan 6 rioters if he becomes president. The issue of pardoning Trump is likely to be a contentious topic in the 2024 presidential election race, with DeSantis and Trump both vying for the GOP nomination. Only time will tell if a presidential pardon for Trump will ever come to fruition.
0. “Joe Biden Can’t Help but Laugh When Asked About Pardoning Donald Trump” The Daily Beast, 29 May. 2023, https://www.thedailybeast.com/joe-biden-cant-help-but-laugh-when-asked-about-pardoning-donald-trump
1. “Biden laughed when asked about Ron DeSantis claiming he may pardon Trump if elected president” Yahoo News, 29 May. 2023, https://news.yahoo.com/biden-laughed-asked-ron-desantis-234753851.html
