Trump Considers Pardoning Steve Bannon Before Leaving Office

With just three days left in office, President Donald Trump is considering, granting a pardon to Steve Bannon, his former White House chief strategist and top campaign aide, who has been charged with defrauding donors in a private crowdsourcing effort to build a U.S.-Mexico border.

The potential pardon would follow a flurry of reprieves that the president has recently granted to allies convicted, charged or reportedly under federal investigation. Trump is expected to issue to additional pardons before the Jan. 20 inauguration of Joe Biden amid his impeachment. 

Trump is expected to leave Washington on Tuesday morning.

Bannon was one of four men indicted by a federal grand jury in New York in August on charges of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and money laundering in connection with their roles in the non-profit group “We Build the Wall.”

At the time of Bannon’s arrest, the president tried to isolate himself from the border project, saying it was “done for showboating reasons” and describing it as “inappropriate.”

Bannon has pleaded not guilty to the charges against him. He is due to stand trial in May 2021.