President-elect Trump's return to the Oval Office has brought a flurry of speculation about his use of the pardon power - and whether he might try to pardon himself.
Trump was indicted four separate times by Democrat-aligned prosecutors as he sought to reclaim the presidency, but only one of the cases made it to a trial - and Trump won re-election anyway after his conviction.
In a past interview while campaigning for re-election, Trump told NBC News that he was not likely to pardon himself because he is innocent.
“I think it’s very unlikely. What, what did I do wrong? I didn’t do anything wrong,” he said at the time. “You mean because I challenge an election, they want to put me in jail?”
The efforts to prosecute Trump ended with a whimper on Friday as he was sentenced to an "unconditional discharge" in New York. That means Trump will not face jails, fines, or any other concrete punishment - but it cements the liberal talking point that Trump is a "convicted felon."
Trump swiftly vowed to appeal, while again denouncing the case as a political sham.
"Today’s event was a despicable charade, and now that it is over, we will appeal this Hoax, which has no merit, and restore the trust of Americans in our once great System of Justice. MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!" Trump wrote.
Trump has little use for a self-pardon, since his only criminal conviction is at the state level and presidents can only grant pardons for federal offenses.
Both of Trump's federal cases have been dismissed by the prosecutor, Jack Smith, in the wake of Trump's comeback victory.
A separate state prosecution in Georgia is in limbo after the district attorney, Fani Willis, was removed for misconduct in December.
Of course, if Trump had a reason to pardon himself, there would be little Democrats could say against him after Joe Biden's selfish decision to let his own son Hunter off the hook for federal crimes.
Biden said in an exit interview this week that he is still considering pre-emptive pardons for people like Anthony Fauci, as Trump's critics accuse him of harboring plans for retribution.
Some have cautioned Biden against offering pre-emptive pardons, warning they could make the people he is trying to help look guilty.
