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The controversial history of presidential pardons

05:41

It's no secret that President Trump has made liberal use of his pardon power during his time as president of the United States. But his generous usage of this presidential power to offer clemency to his supporters has led to some Americans viewing this power as a reward for loyalists.

Julian Zelizer, a historian at Princeton University, tells Here & Now's Scott Tong how this line of thinking goes back to 1974, when then-President Gerald Ford pardoned former President Richard Nixon.

This segment aired on February 19, 2026.

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