President Trump considering mass pardon spree for Flag Day and 80th birthday celebration: Report

WASHINGTON, DC: President Donald Trump is reportedly weighing an initiative that would see 250 individuals pardoned to coincide with either the United States’ 250th anniversary or his own 80th birthday. 

According to a report in the 'Wall Street Journal,' the plan is still in “preliminary discussions” as the administration considers the best way to handle a record-breaking surge in legal requests.

WSJ report: Trump considers 250 mass pardons

President Trump is currently navigating two primary timelines for the announcement, which is the official 250th birthday of the nation this summer, or a more personal celebration tied to his 80th birthday on June 14th. 

The June date holds significance, as it also serves as Flag Day along with the President’s birthday.

While the plan is meant to be a patriotic gesture, many of his advisors are not on board with the idea yet, as the report said that staffers in Trump’s orbit are pushing back on the plan.

WSJ report internal pushback over pardons

Despite President Trump's interest in a large-scale release, the move has met with resistance from within his own administration regarding the upcoming election cycle. 

Critics of the plan worry about the political fallout of a mass pardon during a high-stakes year, fearing it could create unnecessary controversy.

According to the report, “Some in the White House have raised concerns about doing too many more pardons, or any at all, before the midterm elections this fall, some of the people said,” per the report. 

WSJ report clemency list remains secret

The report points out that President Trump’s "expanded" use of the pardon during his second term has led to “a surge in pardon requests.”

According to the story, there were more than 16,000 pardon requests last year, which is a record going back to 1937. 

While high-profile figures like FTX’s Sam Bankman-Fried have sought mercy, Trump has scoffed at that idea. 

Similarly, despite efforts from Ghislaine Maxwell’s legal team to trade testimony for freedom, the President’s past statements, including those where he urged authorities to probe “evil” Maxwell, suggest she is not on the list.

It is to be noted that the final list remains a secret as yet. Trump has already granted notable pardons in his second term to Binance founder Changpeng Zhao and Silk Road creator Ross Ulbricht.

As the deliberation continues, “A White House official said there are always conversations about how to best carry out the president’s priorities, but no decisions had been made,” the WSJ report added.

“Trump is the ultimate decision maker on any clemency-related actions."