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WASHINGTON, Jan 20: President Donald Trump decided to pardon his influential former adviser Steve Bannon, US media reported Tuesday, though no official announcement had been made as Trump counted his final hours in the White House.
Bannon received clemency after being accused of defrauding people out of funds raised to build Mexico’s border wall, which was a flagship Trump policy, the New York Times said, citing White House officials.
The newspaper said the president, who will step down Wednesday, made his last-minute decision after speaking with Bannon by phone.
The clemency would effectively remove the charges against Bannon, if convicted, he said. CNN also reported on the clemency for Bannon, but said Trump had not yet signed the final documentation.
Before Trump flies to Florida Wednesday morning, skipping Joe Biden’s inauguration, he is expected to issue dozens of other pardons, with speculation about who might be on the list.
The latest indications are that Trump will not take the legally dubious step of granting him and his children preventive pardons.
According to CNN and other US media, Trump has a list of about 100 people to whom he can grant clemency. AFP
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