Trump claims 'absolute right to PARDON myself'
President Trump on Monday doubled down on statements made by his personal attorney Rudy Giuliani, who claimed over the weekend that the president could grant himself a pardon if necessary.
"I have the absolute right to PARDON myself," wrote Trump on Twitter, "but why would I do that when I have done nothing wrong?" Trump cited "numerous legal scholars" to back his claim.
He focused his criticism on the "never-ending witch hunt" led by Special Counsel Robert Mueller, who is leading the investigation into whether the Trump campaign colluded with Russian meddling in the 2016 election.
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Trump's tweet echoed Giuliani's claims in an ABC News interview Sunday. Trump "probably" has the power to pardon himself, Giuliani said, adding: "He has no intention of pardoning himself but he probably — not to say he can't." Giuliani also defended the president's right to "terminate the inquiry" into his campaign "at any time for any reason."
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Summer Meza has worked at The Week since 2018, serving as a staff writer, a news writer and currently the deputy editor. As a proud news generalist, she edits everything from political punditry and science news to personal finance advice and film reviews. Summer has previously written for Newsweek and the Seattle Post-Intelligencer, covering national politics, transportation and the cannabis industry.
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