Mitt Romney says he would have pardoned Donald Trump after indictments

Sen. Mitt Romney (R-Utah) said he would have granted a pardon if he had been in President Biden’s position when the federal charges against former President Trump were filed.

In an interview scheduled to air in its entirety Wednesday night on MSNBC’s “The 11th Hour with Stephanie Rhule,” Romney said that if Biden had pardoned the former president, it would make Biden look “a big deal” compared to Trump. He said it would be fine.

“If I were President Biden, I would have pardoned him immediately when the Justice Department filed the indictment. I would have pardoned President Trump,” Romney said.

“Why? Well, it’s because I, President Biden, am the big guy and the one I pardoned is the little guy,” Romney added, referring to Trump.

Special Counsel Jack Smith filed two federal charges against the former president, who is also a Republican presidential candidate. One related to his efforts to remain in power after losing the 2020 presidential election, and the other charged him with knowingly withholding national defense information. obstructing federal efforts to recover documents;

Romney also noted that it remains highly unlikely that either of these two federal lawsuits will be resolved before the November election. He said he did not think the incident would change public perception.

“And secondly, this issue will not be resolved by the election. It won’t affect us before the election. And frankly, the country doesn’t want to prosecute a former president,” Romney continued. .

Romney said he believes the American people “now know” some of the basic facts of the indictment against Trump, including that Trump took classified documents and did not handle them properly. He said there were also suspicions.

“I think they realize he lied about the 2020 election,” Romney added. “They know those things. So these things don’t change the public’s attitude. And frankly, we’re going to get through these and get back to the big issues that really matter to the American people, inflation, The focus should be on borders, what’s happening in the world, and America’s involvement in the world.”

Mr. Romney, who will retire after this term, sets himself apart from other Republicans in that he criticizes the former president when he sees fit. He also made history by becoming the first senator to vote to convict a president of his own party during President Trump’s first impeachment.

Several other Republican senators joined him in voting to convict Trump in his second impeachment trial.

During the Republican presidential primary, several candidates, including Nikki Haley, announced that they would soon pardon the former president. At the time, Haley said: He has already been convicted,” adding, “In the best interest of uniting the country, I believe I will pardon Donald Trump. Because I think it’s important for the country to move forward.”