Opinion | On Pardons, Trump Is Flipping the Founders’ Vision on its Head

February 1, 2022 ☼ trumppardons

Source: POLITICO (Link)

It’s also — in its own way — an idea with real echoes in American history. Several American presidents, including George Washington and Abraham Lincoln, used their power to pardon rebels and traitors. But don’t be fooled: their goal was precisely the opposite of Trump’s. Their idea was that forgiveness was sometimes necessary to heal the republic and preserve its rule of law. Trump’s idea is something else entirely: that anti-American behavior is fine for anyone sufficiently loyal to Trump.