President Donald Trump said he would consider pardoning Elon Musk and White House aides ahead of time if Democrats win the House and open investigations into them.
What Trump said
Trump made the comments on “Pod Force One,” a New York Post podcast hosted by columnist Miranda Devine. The interview was published early Monday, one day before the midterm elections.
Devine asked about talk that House Democrats could investigate Musk or seize his assets. “It’s talk, but if it is talk, we’ll have to protect them,” Trump said, according to USA Today and Axios.
Asked about pardons for aides and allies, Trump said: “I would if I needed to, sure. I wouldn’t even think about it.” He pointed to former President Joe Biden. “That’s what Biden did. He gave everybody a pardon,” Trump said.
A preemptive pardon is a pardon given before a person is charged with a crime. It protects them from federal prosecution for past actions.
What Democrats say
Some House Democrats say they plan to look into Musk if they win control. Rep. Greg Casar of Texas, a member of the House Oversight Committee, told Politico last month that committees should examine “the corporations and ultra-rich people who have tried to corrupt our government.” He added that Musk “is on that list.”
Democrats have signaled possible probes into several areas, according to USA Today:
- Musk’s time leading the Department of Government Efficiency, the team that cut federal spending and jobs.
- Federal contracts held by Musk’s companies.
- His possible role in limiting Ukraine’s access to Starlink, the satellite internet service run by SpaceX.
Why it matters now
Congressional committees can call witnesses and demand documents. The party that controls the House runs those committees. Polls show Democrats are favored to win the House on Tuesday. Republicans now hold a 218-214 majority.
Musk has been a major political spender this cycle. Key facts reported by The Independent, citing Bloomberg and federal election filings:
- Musk has given more than $445 million in political donations this election cycle.
- He put $77 million into his America PAC in the first half of October alone.
- A PAC is a political action committee, a group that raises and spends money on elections.
Other comments in the interview
Trump also said he would like to run for a third term, but that “the language is very exacting,” Axios reported. The Constitution limits presidents to two terms. “We have more than two years left. That’s a long time,” Trump said.
What comes next
- Monday: Trump gives his closing midterm speech at the Reflecting Pool in Washington.
- Tuesday, Nov. 3: Voters decide all 435 House seats and 35 Senate seats.
- January: The new Congress takes office and sets its committee plans.
