Trump abruptly ends press conference after being asked if he'll pardon Manafort

(Image credit: Screenshot/Twitter/Washington Examiner)

last updated 31 October 2017

President Trump's former campaign chairman, Paul Manafort, was indicted Monday over an assortment of alleged financial crimes, provoking a flurry of speculation about how the commander in chief might respond. "In the hours after the indictment," The Associated Press reports, "the president angrily told one confidant that Manafort had been a campaign 'part-timer' who had only helped steer the convention and got too much credit for Trump's ability to hold onto the nomination."

Still, the charges against Manafort — which include conspiracy against the United States — are serious. Additionally, there is excitement among Trump's critics that Manafort could potentially "flip" and out other Trump associates in order to cut a better deal for himself. Trump, on the other hand, could potentially fire Special Counsel Robert Mueller — or pardon his old campaign chairman.

On Tuesday, when asked point blank if he would pardon Manafort, Trump didn't answer. Instead, he abruptly ended the conversation. Watch below. Jeva Lange

The Week

Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

SUBSCRIBE & SAVE

https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/flexiimages/jacafc5zvs1692883516.jpg

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

Explore More

Jeva Lange was the executive editor at TheWeek.com. She formerly served as The Week's deputy editor and culture critic. She is also a contributor to Screen Slate, and her writing has appeared in The New York Daily News, The Awl, Vice, and Gothamist, among other publications. Jeva lives in New York City. Follow her on Twitter.