Pardon Trump: DeSantis’ clemency ‘ala Ford’ if elected president

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis unequivocally declared his intention to pardon former President Donald Trump if he were to secure another term in the White House. The announcement came during a campaign stop in Iowa, where reporters grilled DeSantis on whether he would extend a presidential pardon to Trump.

Responding to the persistent queries, DeSantis asserted, “I’ve already said that long ago,” adding an irritable note, “I’ve said that months ago.”

Contrary to his claims, this statement marked the most definitive stance he has taken on the matter, leaving observers intrigued about the potential implications.

Clemency Ala Ford

“I think we’ve got to move on as a country, and, you know, like Ford did to [pardon] Nixon, because the divisions are just not in the country’s interest,” DeSantis declared, signaling a desire for unity amid escalating tensions.

Pressing for further clarification, NBC News sought confirmation on Saturday, prompting a spokesperson to affirm, “Correct.”

This confirmation echoed a trend among prominent political figures, with Nikki Haley and Vivek Ramaswamy also pledging to pardon Trump if he secures a return to the highest office.

Haley, who had previously tiptoed around the question for months, stated unequivocally at a campaign event in New Hampshire, “I would pardon Trump if he is found guilty.” Emphasizing the importance of national unity, she remarked, “What’s in the best interests of the country is not to have an 80-year-old man sitting in jail that continues to divide our country.”

‘No pardon’ from Christie

Notably, not all voices within the political sphere were in agreement with this wave of pardon promises. Former New Jersey governor Chris Christie, a known adversary of Trump, cautioned against such a move, asserting that pardoning the former president would make the United States “no better than a lot of these tin-pot democracies” around the world.