Former South Carolina governor Nikki Haley has become increasingly critical of former President Donald Trump, but also sees a path to pardoning him if she wins the 2024 presidential election.
What Happened: According to The Independent, Haley said at a recent town hall event that a decision to pardon Trump would come after he's already found guilty and that a pardon wouldn't be her saying he wasn't guilty.
"It's not a matter of innocence or guilt," she said. "I believe in the best interest of bringing the country together, I would pardon Donald Trump."
Trump and his company, the Trump Organization, must pay $355 million in fines — $453.5 million when pre-judgment interest is factored in — a judge ruled Friday in a New York civil fraud case.
Trump must also pay $83.3 million for defaming E. Jean Carroll, a jury ruled in January. He still faces a 2020 election interference case in Georgia; two federal probes from special counsel Jack Smith; and another case in New York City over hush money payments and falsified business documents.
Still, Haley said it's important for the country to move on, and pardoning Trump could accomplish just that.
"We've got to leave the negativity and the baggage behind,” she said. “I don't want this country divided any further."
Haley’s comments come after several GOP candidates dropped out of the 2024 presidential race, leaving just Haley and Trump seeking the Republican Party nomination.
"I don't think it's in the best interest for America to have an 80-year-old president sitting in jail and having everybody upset about it,” she added.
Related Link: Trump In Trouble? Former President’s Lead Over Biden Shrinks In New 2024 Election Poll
Why It's Important: Trump is likely to win the GOP nomination for the 2024 election. He also leads Haley by a wide margin.
But her support in the form of a pardon seemingly underscores an attempt to unite the party.
Several other Republican candidates running for the presidency had hinted at or said they would pardon Trump if they were elected, including former candidate Ron DeSantis.
The question of a potential presidential pardon comes with Trump facing four criminal indictments.
One of the most famous presidential pardons in American history was President Gerald Ford‘s pardoning his predecessor, President Richard Nixon, who resigned from office in 1974.
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