President Joe Biden recently pardoned his son, Hunter Biden, which set off a predictable storm of criticism from Republicans and even some Democrats. While this move has stirred up a lot of debate, there’s an interesting twist to consider: If Biden were to go a step further and pardon Donald Trump, it could send shockwaves through the Republican Party. In fact, it might just be the ultimate power move, one that could disarm Republicans and drive them into a rage.
Let’s be clear about one thing: Biden’s pardon of Hunter Biden, while controversial, falls within the norms of presidential pardons. Hunter’s crimes were relatively minor—tax evasion and a gun charge—and he paid back the taxes owed. But what has really caught people’s attention is how Biden initially opposed pardoning his son and then, after some time, changed his mind. This transparency about why he made the decision is unusual but shows that Biden was trying to weigh the political and legal consequences carefully.
But now, imagine Biden taking things further and pardoning Trump. It’s not as outlandish as it sounds. Presidents have used pardons in the past to end political battles, and pardoning Trump would be the ultimate exercise of power. It would be a bold move, one that could instantly silence the Republicans who have spent years attacking the Bidens while simultaneously weakening their position for good.
Here’s why it would work: For years, Republicans have relentlessly hammered President Biden, accusing him of corruption, even though there’s no solid evidence to support these claims. In particular, they’ve attacked Hunter Biden, using him as a symbol of everything they think is wrong with the Biden family. If Biden were to pardon Trump, Republicans would have no argument left. Their entire narrative about corruption, deceit, and “Biden family crimes” would fall apart, leaving them with no moral high ground to stand on.
Pardoning Trump would take the wind out of their sails. Republicans have spent years attacking Trump’s legal troubles, hoping that investigations and court cases would finally bring him down. But if Biden pardoned him, those efforts would be abruptly ended. Republicans would be left with nothing to rally around. Their endless claims of injustice would be exposed as hollow. They’d have no choice but to accept the reality that, even if they didn’t like it, Trump had been granted mercy by the very president they had been trying to destroy.
It would also put Republicans in a difficult political position. Trump’s allies might feel outplayed by Biden, but they wouldn’t be able to argue that the system had been unfair. They’d have to reckon with the fact that the president had used his constitutional power to do what was, in some ways, a very magnanimous thing. At the same time, moderate Republicans, who have been critical of Trump’s excesses, would be left speechless. How could they continue to claim moral superiority when Biden had made such a bold, unifying decision?
The reaction from Republicans would likely be explosive. They’d be furious, no doubt. But their outrage would be pure rage—rage without a clear target. Biden would have taken away their main weapon, the idea that Trump was being unfairly prosecuted. They’d be left to stew in their anger with no way to turn it into a winning political argument.
This is where the real power of a Biden pardon would lie. It wouldn’t just be about ending Trump’s legal battles or looking magnanimous. It would be a strategic move that could disarm the Republican Party at a time when it’s been fixated on the Bidens for so long. Republicans would be forced to confront the fact that Biden’s actions had rendered their attacks meaningless. Their long-standing crusade against the Bidens and their supposed “corruption” would lose all credibility. And in politics, losing credibility is everything.
Of course, this is all speculative. Biden may never pardon Trump, and there are many factors to consider before making such a historic decision. But if he did, it would be a game-changer. The Republican Party, already divided and on edge, would find itself reeling from the move. It could be the kind of bold, decisive action that would reshape the political landscape for years to come.
In the end, Biden’s pardon of Trump could be more than just an act of mercy. It could be a power play that shifts the balance of political power in the U.S. If he does it, Republicans won’t just go nuts—they’ll be left with no argument, no moral high ground, and nothing to fight for. And in politics, that’s the ultimate defeat.
