U.S. President Donald Trump is reportedly considering issuing himself a pardon, perhaps on his last day in office. Is he really allowed to do that? The best answer is simple: No.
Begin with the Constitution’s text, which states that the president "shall have the power to grant Reprieves and Pardons for Offenses against the United States, except in Cases of Impeachment.”
You might be tempted to read those words, as some specialists do, to mean that the president’s pardon power is unlimited, with the sole exception of impeachment. If that’s the right interpretation, there would be nothing wrong with self-pardons.
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