White House weighs staffer pardons
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The gist
White House attorneys are evaluating whether to issue mass pardons to junior staffers, per two sources.
The move comes as Democrats appear likely to take the House and probe staff.
Background
Donald Trump, President of the United States, has publicly discussed issuing pardons for top aides and has issued pardons for billionaires and major donors. Questions have mounted about the potential legal jeopardy facing thousands of employees who have implemented the White House's agenda, and the discussions would apply to a far greater number of White House staff than previously reported. The White House is making its first moves as Democrats appear likely to take back the House of Representatives after the Nov. 3 election.
How it unfolded
- Oct 19, 2026Trump officials are reported to be contacting law firms ahead of an expected 'avalanche' of congressional investigations if Democrats take control in November, per The Wall Street Journal.
- Oct 22, 2026Alina Habba, Trump's former personal lawyer and Acting U.S. Attorney for New Jersey, responds 'Hold my beer, ladies' after The New York Times reported she was given a $50 million personal contract in exchange for securing a presidential pardon.
- Oct 24, 2026White House attorneys are evaluating whether to issue mass pardons to junior staffers, according to two sources familiar with the conversations.
- Oct 24, 2026A pardon for all junior administration personnel is viewed as unlikely by one source, but the president could issue blanket pardons for employees involved in particular policy areas such as deportations, war or trade.
Who’s saying what
- Official
- Trump said he does not want people who work for him to go through 'years of nonsense' and hire lawyers 'all for nothing.'
- Support
- Mike Davis, president of the Article III Project, said he plans to press the White House for action.
- Party
- The Heritage Foundation and American Moment pressed White House counsel to either prepare pardons or fund legal fees to defend junior staffers from criminal and congressional probes or potential lawsuits.
- Caution
- Sen. Elissa Slotkin (D-Mich.) suggested young people who want to work for Trump think ahead about whether they have adequate funding for lawyers.
- Expert
- Law professor and clemency expert Mark Osler said widespread pardons for political appointees and staff would be 'a new development in American history.'
Still unverified
The report that the White House is evaluating mass pardons rests on two sources familiar with the conversations plus an additional source. The full contours of the Alina Habba $50 million dispute are not yet clear, and Grenell has denied any knowledge of the matter.