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MaddowBlog-'I don't know who he is': Trump struggles to defend one of his most scandalous pardons
The president said that he pardoned Changpeng Zhao despite not knowing who he is. If he’s lying, that’s a problem. If he wasn’t, it’s worse.
Trump: President Autopen was so far gone, he didn’t even know who he was pardoning.
— Steve Benen (@stevebenen.com) 2025-11-03T13:03:03.476Z
Also Trump: I can’t explain my corrupt pardon for Changpeng Zhao because I have no idea who he is. www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddo...
https://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow-show/maddowblog/-dont-know-trump-struggles-defend-one-scandalous-pardons-rcna241547
A week later, the president sat down with CBS News’ Norah O’Donnell for a “60 Minutes” interview, and the correspondent offered Trump another opportunity to explain what appeared to be a brazenly corrupt pardon. After having had a week to think about it, he still didn’t have much of an answer.
.....The president replied, “OK, are you ready? I don’t know who he is.”
....“Well, here’s the thing, I know nothing about it because I’m too busy,” the Republican replied, adding, “I know nothing about the guy.”....
Complicating matters further, the White House and much of the Republican Party is heavily invested in the idea that Joe Biden was so impaired during his presidency that he signed pardons — or, more to the point, used an autopen to sign pardons — without knowing anything about the beneficiary of the clemency.
Indeed, during the same “60 Minutes” interview, Trump argued, “Biden didn’t have a clue. He illegally used, as you know, a machine, the autopen, in order to give pardons to people.”
The smear is ugly and baseless, but it’s also become a political dilemma of sorts for the president slandering his predecessor. On the one hand, Trump wants the public to believe Biden didn’t know who he was pardoning. On the other, Trump also wants the public to believe that he pardoned Zhao, despite having no idea who he is.
The Republican and his team have had plenty of time to work out a coherent set of talking points on this. That they’ve failed speaks volumes.
O'DONNELL: Why did you pardon Changpeng Zhao?
— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar.com) 2025-11-03T00:56:08.488Z
TRUMP: Are you ready? I don't know who he is
O'DONNELL: His crypto exchange Binance helped facilitate a b purchase of World Liberty Financial's stablecoin. And they you pardoned him.
TRUMP: Here's the thing -- I know nothing about it
.....The president replied, “OK, are you ready? I don’t know who he is.”
....“Well, here’s the thing, I know nothing about it because I’m too busy,” the Republican replied, adding, “I know nothing about the guy.”....
Complicating matters further, the White House and much of the Republican Party is heavily invested in the idea that Joe Biden was so impaired during his presidency that he signed pardons — or, more to the point, used an autopen to sign pardons — without knowing anything about the beneficiary of the clemency.
Indeed, during the same “60 Minutes” interview, Trump argued, “Biden didn’t have a clue. He illegally used, as you know, a machine, the autopen, in order to give pardons to people.”
The smear is ugly and baseless, but it’s also become a political dilemma of sorts for the president slandering his predecessor. On the one hand, Trump wants the public to believe Biden didn’t know who he was pardoning. On the other, Trump also wants the public to believe that he pardoned Zhao, despite having no idea who he is.
The Republican and his team have had plenty of time to work out a coherent set of talking points on this. That they’ve failed speaks volumes.
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