Former UN Ambassador Nikki Haley has stated that if she were elected president, she would pardon former President Trump if he were convicted of a crime. Haley believes that such amnesty would be in the best interest of the country. Currently, Trump faces 87 felony charges across Florida, New York, and Georgia, including allegations of attempting to overturn the 2020 election results, interfering in the election, mishandling classified materials, and paying hush money to a porn star.
Haley’s stance aligns with fellow Republicans Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis and entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy, who have also signaled support for a potential pardon for Trump. In response to a 9-year-old boy’s question at a New Hampshire campaign event covered by NBC News, Haley explained her position, stating that if Trump were found guilty, a leader should consider what is in the best interest of the country. She argued that pardoning Trump would prevent an 80-year-old man from sitting in jail and further dividing the nation.
Former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie criticized Haley for making these remarks before the trial in the election interference case against Trump had even started. Christie accused Haley of believing in two systems of justice and slammed her for refusing to definitively state that she would not accept a potential position in a second Trump administration. The idea of offering a pardon before a conviction does have historical precedent, with President Gerald Ford pardoning former President Richard Nixon in 1974 for any crimes related to the Watergate scandal.
