Former Vice President Mike Pence's chief of staff, Marc Short, expressed strong disapproval of the pardons issued by former President Donald Trump in his last hours in office. During an interview on Fox News Sunday, Short characterized these pardons as one of the most inappropriate actions of the administration's final days.
Short specifically pointed to pardons granted to individuals convicted of drug trafficking, violent crimes, and family members, questioning the basis for such decisions. He emphasized the need for a serious discussion about the responsible use of presidential pardon power, suggesting that Trump's record in this area was indefensible.
On his last day in office, January 20, 2021, Trump issued 73 pardons and commuted 70 sentences. Notable recipients included former White House advisor Steve Bannon and rappers Lil Wayne and Kodak Black. Former Detroit Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick, serving a lengthy sentence for corruption, also had his sentence commuted.
Short's remarks coincided with Pence's own defense of Trump's right to due process, although Pence avoided commenting directly on whether a conviction would be warranted if the allegations against Trump were proven true. Pence, in a separate interview on NBC's Meet the Press, repeatedly sidestepped questions about Trump's indictment and court appearance.
