DeSantis floats pardoning Trump if he is convicted

"Ford pardoned Nixon, took some heat for it, but at the end of the day... do we want to move forward as a country? Or do we want to be mired in these past controversies?" he continued.

By Ben Whedon

Published: July 28, 2023 4:18pm

Florida Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis on Friday suggested he would consider pardoning former President Donald Trump as president, should his Republican rival be convicted of any federal charges.

Trump faces federal charges from special counsel Jack Smith's office stemming from his alleged mishandling of classified materials. He pleaded not guilty, though Smith's office has since filed a superseding indictment with additional charges. Speculation has also abounded that Trump may face charges in Smith's Jan. 6 probe after the former president indicated that he received a target letter from Smith's office in that probe.

The former president has characterized Smith's efforts as part of a broader political "witch hunt" against him.

During an appearance on "The Megyn Kelly Show," the Florida governor stated that "I'm going to do what's right for the country. I don't think it would be good for the country to have an almost 80-year-old former president go to prison."

"Ford pardoned Nixon, took some heat for it, but at the end of the day... do we want to move forward as a country? Or do we want to be mired in these past controversies?" he continued.

The Florida governor remains Trump's strongest rival in the Republican primary, those he has slumped somewhat in the polls since declaring his candidacy. He currently holds an average 18.4% support in the race, according to RealClearPolitics.

Ben Whedon is an editor and reporter for Just the News. Follow him on Twitter.