The White House evaded questions about whether President Joe Biden could grant preventive pardons to people who could be targeted by a Trump administration.
Jean-Pierre then disputed the assertion that she did not rule out preventive pardons, saying: “I don’t confirm anything. I’m just saying I won’t make it – there’s a process.
The comments come after CNN reported that top Biden White House aides, administration officials and prominent defense attorneys in Washington, D.C., were discussing possible preemptive pardons or legal aid for people who may be targeted for prosecution by President-elect Donald Trump after he returns to office. , according to several sources.
The move, which would cover people who have never been formally charged with any crime, would be an extraordinary step and demonstrates the grave concerns among many Democrats that Trump is pursuing a range of figures he considers his enemies.
On Friday, Jean-Pierre highlighted Biden’s previous actions on pardons and commutations, including those for marijuana possession, non-violent drug offenders who have demonstrated a commitment to rehabilitation, and military convictions of LGBTQ+ military personnel, planning “more to come” on that front, likely “during the holidays.”
Pressed once again, Jean-Pierre indicated that Biden was “examining the next steps”.
Jean-Pierre was also confronted with a wave of questions about Biden’s decision to pardon his son — and his own credibility — after the White House insisted for months that the president would not pardon Hunter Biden. Asked if Biden regretted misleading the public about the possible pardon, the White House press secretary did not respond directly.
Jean-Pierre was also asked if she owed the press and the American people an apology, to which she firmly responded.
“I know what I said,” she said. “I know what the president said. That’s where we were at the time. This is where the president was at the time. I am his spokesperson. This weekend he thought about it, he struggled with it. He struggled with that and made that decision. This is what I can say to the American people.