During an interview on Thursday, Republican candidate for president, Chris Christie, expressed skepticism about the possibility of granting a presidential pardon to ex-President Donald Trump, should he be found guilty in a case concerning classified documents for which he faces federal charges.
Speaking on NewsNation, Christie said that it would be hard to consider a pardon for Trump given the charges outlined in the indictment. “It is hard to envision a scenario where a pardon would be considered if the former president was found guilty, assuming a fair trial,” Christie explained to host Chris Cuomo.
He went on to emphasize that accepting responsibility for one’s actions is a prerequisite for a pardon. “I seriously doubt that Donald Trump would ever take this step, which makes the prospect of a pardon even less likely,” the former New Jersey governor added.
Trump has been indicted on 37 counts, including mishandling classified documents post-presidency at his Mar-a-Lago property and attempting to obstruct the government’s recovery of these documents.
In contrast, Vivek Ramaswamy, another 2024 Republican presidential hopeful, has pledged to pardon Trump if elected. Asa Hutchinson, another contender, has said that Trump’s legal problems should preclude him from the race and criticized Ramaswamy’s pledge.
Nikki Haley, another candidate, expressed a tentative inclination towards pardoning Trump if he’s convicted. Trump’s former Vice President, Mike Pence, who’s also vying for the 2024 GOP nomination, claimed that any discussions about a potential pardon for Trump are “premature.”
When Cuomo asked if Christie would contemplate pardoning President Biden, who is under scrutiny for document handling, the governor said it was a difficult question to answer without knowing the potential charges.
The former New Jersey governor also took aim at Trump’s reluctance to participate in the primary debates, labeling him a “coward” if he decides not to attend.
Christie lambasted Trump, claiming that not showing up to the debates due to fear would be an act of cowardice. He argued that Trump ought to be present to justify his past actions and performance. Christie conjectured that Trump’s considerable ego might eventually compel him to partake in the debate.
Trump, as the current GOP frontrunner, has indicated that he might not participate in the debate, causing division within his party regarding his potential attendance at the first debate, scheduled for August 23 in Milwaukee.
The former governor’s remarks were made shortly after he announced that his campaign has successfully met the minimum donor threshold required to take part in the first GOP presidential debate next month.a
