Will Trump be pardoned? Presidential pardons explained

On Sept. 8, 1974, President Gerald Ford declared Proclamation 4311, pardoning Richard Nixon from any criminal activity during his time as president. Nixon became the only president in history to be pardoned. A presidential pardon is an Executive Order first declared in the Constitution in Article II Section II, Clause I and states that presidents “...shall have power to grant reprieves and pardons for offenses against the United States.”According to the Department of Justice, a presidential pardon is “the expression of the president’s forgiveness.” Typically presidents pardon a person who is convicted by the United States District Courts, the Military Court Martial and the Superior Court of D.C. There are only two limits to a president’s pardoning power. They can not pardon local or state offenses and they cannot pardon cases of presidential impeachment. However, wasn’t Richard Nixon facing charges of impeachment? Nixon Scandal On June 17, 1972, five men were arrested after breaking into the democratic national committee headquarters at the Watergate Hotel. Aug. 1, 1972, an article in the Washington Post reports that a check for $25,000 earmarked for Nixon's 1972 re-election campaign was deposited into the bank account of one of the men arrested for the Watergate break-in. Over the course of nearly two years, Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein continue to file stories about the Watergate scandal, relying on many sources. And from July 27-30, 1974, three articles of impeachment were debated and approved by the House Judiciary Committee against Nixon — obstruction of justice, misuse of power and contempt of Congress. On Aug. 8, 1974, Nixon resigned live on national television. A month later, on Sept. 8, Ford pardoned Nixon for any offenses he ‘might’ have committed against the United States. Nixon resigned before the trial of impeachment could be followed through, allowing Ford to pardon Nixon and he left the office disgraced with many Americans angry with Ford's decision. Some speculated that the two made an agreement when Ford came to office. Ford’s decision was the main reason he was not re-elected for a second term.Trump's indictments Events from Nixon's Watergate scandal have become a popular conversation with recent events regarding former President Donald Trump. He is the first former U.S. president to be indicted on criminal charges. On the federal level, he is charged with 37 counts for violating the espionage act, the obstruction of justice and making false statements. The FBI seized hundreds of classified documents from Trump's Mar-a-Lago home. In addition, he is also being charged with four counts for attempting to overturn the 2020 election. And on the state level, he is facing criminal charges in New York and Georgia.The main question that is being asked is, can Trump be pardoned?The difference between Trump and Nixon is that Nixon was only facing federal charges versus Trump, who is facing state and federal charges. Trump's state charges can not be pardoned. Another difference is that Nixon was term-limited meaning he couldn’t run for office again and Trump, by all means, can. Thus, if he became president he can pardon himself.The truth is that a presidential pardon can be used by any president and what is deemed appropriate or inappropriate comes down to the person we elect to power their decision.