US President Donald Trump indicated, in a podcast interview broadcast on Monday, the possibility of granting a preemptive pardon to his allies, on the eve of the midterm elections that could lead to him losing his majority in Congress.
Asked about taking such action on behalf of “those who worked for him,” he responded in an interview with the New York Post: “I wouldn't just think about it, I would do it.”
He added: “I did this regarding the events of January 6, 2021, when hundreds of his supporters attacked the Capitol building in Washington, and Trump granted them pardon on the first day of his second term, in January 2025.”
Elon Musk, the largest donor to the Republican campaign and an ally of Donald Trump, issued threats in mid-October, following press reports that the Democrats intended to intensify parliamentary investigations against him if they won the midterm elections.
In response to a suggestion from New York Post journalist Miranda Devine regarding the possibility of the billionaire's arrest, Donald Trump said: "This is just talk, but if it becomes a reality, we will have to protect them."
According to an article published by Politico last month, “prominent members (of the Democratic Party) are studying how various committees could target Elon Musk and a wide range of his companies,” if they win Tuesday’s elections.
Likewise, the Democratic camp accuses Donald Trump and those close to him of achieving huge wealth in the first two years of his second term, through several cases involving conflicts of interest.
In the interview with the New York Post, the Republican president referred to the proactive pardon decisions issued by his predecessor, former President Joe Biden, in favor of those close to him, a few hours before the end of his term.
US President Donald Trump and his Democratic rivals are concluding their campaigns on Monday on the eve of the midterm elections in the United States, the result of which opinion polls suggest that Republicans will lose control of Congress, even partially.
Polls show that the Democratic Party is in a position to control the House of Representatives, and may even be able to seize a majority in the Senate. A poll published on Sunday by NBC News showed that 60 percent of respondents disapproved of Trump's performance, especially due to the sharp rise in the cost of living, which was exacerbated by the war on Iran.
Trump said, "This is the last day before the midterm elections, and I believe they are the most important midterm elections in our lives," in a speech he delivered Monday in front of the Lincoln Memorial in Washington. He focused mostly on his project to renovate monuments and memorials in the capital, before he touched on the upcoming election.
Trump: I will veto everything
After Trump expected his Republican Party to win the elections, he acknowledged on Monday that the result might be different. “I think we'll do great, but if we don't win, I'll veto everything,” he told a New York Post podcast. “And then they'll come to us, and we'll probably make deals.”
Cautious optimism on the part of Democrats
On the other hand, the Democrats prepared to organize their final electoral rallies in swing states, including in Texas with the participation of James Tallarico, and in Kansas with the participation of Adam Hamilton, two of the most prominent candidates for the Senate seeking to achieve major surprises. Democratic Senator Raphael Warnock spoke to CNN of "anxious optimism."
Despite their lead, Democrats are cautious after opinion polls previously misestimated the size of the mobilization in the "MAGA" movement, which is the first letters of Trump's slogan "Make America Great Again."
Early voting exceeds 54 million people
Voting will take place on Tuesday for 35 seats in the Senate and all 435 seats in the House of Representatives. Republicans have a narrow majority in both chambers.
More than 54 million people have cast ballots so far in the US midterm elections, according to an analysis by the Associated Press (AP). The tally includes in-person early voting and mail-in voting.
In many of the states witnessing the biggest battles for Senate seats, early voting exceeds what it was four years ago in the midterm elections.
On Monday, the administration of US President Donald Trump appealed to the Supreme Court in an attempt to exclude thousands of disputed mail ballots in the state of California, after an appeals court rejected a request to exclude about 20,000 ballots from people the federal government suspects may not be US citizens.
