Donald Trump has suggested Republicans could face a damaging midterm defeat, saying he would pardon political allies while still in office to shield them from potential Democratic investigations on Capitol Hill.
During an interview with TIME, Trump was asked about his earlier warning that Democrats would target him and his administration if they won the midterm elections. ‘Are you considering pardoning members of your administration prior to the end of your term?’ he was asked.
‘Yeah, sure I’d do that,’ Trump replied.
‘Well, Sleepy Joe Biden, he gave pardons to everyone,’ Trump added, referring to his Democratic predecessor.
Democrats in Congress have been preparing possible investigations into Trump, his family, Cabinet officials and senior aides if they take control in November’s midterm elections.
As of Thursday morning, prediction market Kalshi put the Democrats’ chances of winning the House of Representatives at 91 percent and their chances of capturing the Senate at 62 percent.
Trump also made clear that he would be prepared to retaliate if Democrats pursued him. ‘They’ll probably go after me and I’ll go after them,’ he told TIME.
Robert Garcia, the senior Democrat on the House Oversight Committee, would gain subpoena authority next year if his party wins the midterms. In an interview with Politico, Garcia said the most prominent targets could be ‘the president’s sons and the president and the family.’
President Donald Trump told TIME he would consider pardoning members of his family and administration if Democrats launched investigations after Republicans lost this year’s midterm elections
Democratic lawmakers have openly discussed investigating members of Trump’s Cabinet and family if they win the midterms, a result that is increasingly viewed as possible
Trump pointed to former President Joe Biden’s pardons for federal officials and family members, including his son Hunter Biden
Garcia also said he wanted to hear testimony from several of Trump’s most senior aides.
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Potential targets include White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles, Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller, former AI and Crypto Czar David Sacks, Special Envoy Steve Witkoff and Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner.
Democrats have shown interest in examining federal agreements involving companies connected to the Trump family, as well as the businesses of Witkoff and Kushner. Both men have been involved in international peace efforts while not officially serving as government employees. Trump’s multibillion-dollar cryptocurrency ventures could also face scrutiny.
Trump rejected the suggestion that he should refrain from pardoning friends and relatives who could be exposed to legal or congressional scrutiny.
‘Sleepy Joe gave pardons to everybody. He gave them to Fauci … But you mean I’m not allowed to give them, but Sleepy Joe’s allowed to give them?’ Trump said in the TIME interview.
Biden did issue pardons covering a broad range of officials and relatives as his presidency drew to a close in 2024 and 2025.
Among them were preemptive pardons for Dr. Anthony Fauci, a leading figure in the COVID-19 response, Biden’s brothers James and Francis, his sister Valerie Biden Owens and his son Hunter Biden.
Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner, center, and Special Envoy Steve Witkoff, left, are among the figures Democrats could seek to question if they launch investigations next year
Secretary of War Pete Hegseth could face questioning from Democratic investigators over the Iran war and US stockpiles if Trump and Republicans lose the midterms
When TIME asked him plainly whether he thinks Republicans can win the midterms, Trump said they will, as long as he is front and center.
‘I think we’ll do okay if I campaign, and I intend to. If I campaign…you don’t give me enough credit. When I campaign, I give people a lot.’
The president is traveling to Oklahoma on Thursday for a campaign rally and is expected to travel on Friday to Alabama for another stop.