With voters heading to the polls, a remarkable scramble is reportedly unfolding inside Donald Trump’s White House. People in the president’s inner circle are approaching him for preemptive pardons, apparently worried about what could happen if Democrats take control of Congress.
According to The Telegraph, Trumpworld insiders are increasingly concerned that a Democratic takeover of the House could expose the president, members of his administration, family members, political allies, and business associates to a wave of congressional investigations.
And they’re apparently not waiting to see how the election turns out.
“People are walking in asking for pardons,” one source told the newspaper. “The Democrats are going to have a field day.”
The reported requests suggest that some people in Trump’s orbit are already thinking about potential legal and political consequences before voters have even finished casting their ballots.
A Democratic-controlled House would have considerable investigative power. It could subpoena documents, compel testimony, conduct depositions under oath, hold public hearings, and launch impeachment proceedings against Trump or members of his Cabinet.
In other words, the people currently operating with the protection of a Republican-controlled Congress could soon find themselves answering some very uncomfortable questions in public.
Trump Has Already Signaled He’ll Hand Out Pardons
The reported scramble comes as Trump has openly suggested that he would consider granting preemptive pardons to members of his administration who could face legal scrutiny before his second term ends.
One potential beneficiary is Elon Musk, the billionaire who previously led the administration’s controversial Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) initiative, which eliminated approximately 250,000 government jobs.
Musk has poured hundreds of millions of dollars into supporting Trump and Republican candidates while also benefiting from lucrative federal contracts.
Asked whether he would protect administration officials if Democrats launched investigations or impeachment proceedings, Trump told New York Post columnist Miranda Devine:
“If they do, we’ll just have to protect those people.”
He then made his position even clearer.
“I would if I needed to, sure… I would not even think about it. I’d do it. I did it for J6,” Trump said.
He was referring to his decision on the first day of his second term to pardon roughly 1,500 people convicted in connection with the January 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol.
Trump also invoked former President Joe Biden, who issued a series of preemptive pardons during his final hours in office, protecting figures including Gen. Mark Milley, Dr. Anthony Fauci, and members of the House committee investigating January 6.
“That’s what Biden did. He gave everybody a pardon,” Trump said.
The latest comments follow an April report by The Wall Street Journal that Trump had repeatedly floated sweeping pardons for his allies during discussions with senior aides.
“I’ll pardon everyone who has come within 200 feet of the Oval [Office],” Trump reportedly told officials.
But the reported requests now coming from inside the White House raise a much bigger question: What are these people so worried about that they’re seeking presidential protection before the election is even decided?
Republicans Face the Prospect of a Congressional Reckoning
The reported pardon requests come as Republicans face an increasingly difficult political environment heading into the midterms.
Democrats need to flip just four seats in both the House and Senate to overturn Republicans’ narrow majorities. Polling of the generic congressional ballot gives Democrats an approximately nine-point advantage.
Trump’s political standing has also taken a serious hit since launching the war against Iran in February.
The conflict has sent energy costs soaring, with AAA reporting a national average gasoline price of $4.15 per gallon and diesel reaching $6.29.
Those higher costs are adding to voter frustration as Trump’s approval rating has reportedly fallen into the low 30s, its lowest level on record.
Republican candidates are feeling the pressure. Even in traditionally Republican states such as Texas, South Carolina, Ohio, Iowa, and Kansas, GOP candidates are reportedly trailing their Democratic opponents.
The midterms are increasingly shaping up as a referendum on Trump’s presidency. And the consequences could extend well beyond losing control of Congress.
A Democratic House would have the authority to investigate the administration far more aggressively, potentially bringing decisions, relationships, and dealings into public view that Republicans have so far been able to shield from meaningful congressional scrutiny.
It would also make passing Trump’s domestic agenda considerably harder.
The administration appears to be preparing for that possibility.
According to Reuters, White House counsel Will Scharf and his team are examining how far Trump could go in pursuing his agenda without congressional approval.
An official told Reuters that the legal team is reviewing “what Mr. Trump can legally do on his own, where he could push the limits of his authority and how to defend those decisions in court.”
Trump, meanwhile, has threatened to use his veto power to block Democratic legislation if Republicans lose control of Congress.
“I think we’re going to do great. But if we didn’t win, I veto everything. I’ll be vetoing, vetoing,” he told the New York Post.
“I guess I’ll become Mr. Veto… And then at some point, we’ll probably make deals.”
For now, the White House is publicly projecting confidence. But behind the scenes, the reported scramble for preemptive pardons and preparations for governing without congressional support paint a different picture.
People close to the president are reportedly seeking protection against potential investigations before voters have even decided who will control Congress.
