Trump offers Musk preemptive pardon
The gist
Trump said he would not hesitate to preemptively pardon Elon Musk and White House staff if needed.
Democrats are favored to win the House in the Nov. 3 midterms.
How it unfolded
- Jan 20, 2025President Joe Biden issued preemptive pardons to prominent Trump critics and members of his own family, including former Rep. Liz Cheney, Adam Schiff, Dr. Anthony Fauci, Gen. Mark Milley and Hunter Biden.
- Jun 8, 2026Democrats planned to investigate, and possibly prosecute, Trump officials post-2029; Trump had jokingly said he intended to offer preemptive pardons to virtually everyone associated with his administration.
- Oct 8, 2026Trump presented the National Medal of Science to Elon Musk in Washington, DC.