Independent U.S. Senator Joe Manchin, who used to be a Democrat, has urged President Joe Biden to pardon Donald Trump.
He suggested this following Biden’s controversial decision to pardon his son, Hunter Biden.
On Monday, Manchin told CNN that Biden should pardon Trump, saying it would create a “more balanced” approach after pardoning his son.
He added, “Just wipe everything out. Pardon Trump for all the charges against him—it would feel a lot more fair.”
Trump has repeatedly claimed that the charges against him were politically motivated.
He accused Biden’s administration, U.S. intelligence agencies, and the Justice Department of working with the Democratic Party to target him.
The charges against Trump include mishandling classified documents, trying to interfere with the 2020 election, tampering with Georgia’s election results, and falsifying business records.
However, federal cases against him have been dropped after his victory in the 2024 presidential election, according to Special Counsel Jack Smith.
Manchin argued that Trump, as the incoming president, should not have to deal with ongoing legal battles, saying, “He needs to focus on leading for the next four years without all these cases hanging over him.”
Manchin also criticized Biden’s decision to pardon his son, saying it has damaged Biden’s legacy.
For two years, Biden and his team had insisted that Hunter would not be pardoned, but this changed on Sunday when Hunter received a pardon after pleading guilty to federal tax crimes and being convicted of gun-related charges earlier this year.
