Will Biden Pardon Hillary Amid Trump’s FBI Threats?

During a candid appearance on The View, former President Bill Clinton shared his thoughts on whether President Joe Biden should consider pardoning his wife, Hillary Clinton, in light of potential legal challenges following former President Donald Trump’s anticipated return to the political stage.

The issue arose when The View co-host Sunny Hostin asked Clinton if he believed Biden should intervene preemptively by granting Hillary a pardon. The question comes amidst threats from Kash Patel, Trump’s pick for FBI Director, who has promised to intensify investigations into Hillary Clinton if Trump regains power.

.@BillClinton on if his wife Hillary should be considered for a preemptive pardon: "If Pres. Biden wanted to talk to me about that, I would talk to him about it, but I don't think I should be giving public advice on the pardon power. I think… it's a very personal thing." pic.twitter.com/WY1VfOwRvg

— The View (@TheView) December 11, 2024

Laughing, Clinton pushed back against the notion of a pardon. “They’ve got a problem with her because, first, she didn’t do anything wrong. Second, she followed the rules exactly as they were written,” he explained. He then pointed to a key moment in the 2016 campaign when Hillary’s email use became a focal point of criticism. “Trump’s State Department found that Hillary sent and received exactly zero classified emails on her personal device. It was a whole—it was a made-up, phony story.”

Clinton’s remarks were particularly pointed, highlighting that Trump’s own administration, despite its animus toward Hillary, had failed to uncover any evidence supporting the allegations. “It’s a story that was fabricated. No evidence, just a narrative,” he stated, reinforcing his belief that no pardon from Biden is needed.

However, Clinton was careful not to dismiss the potential for further investigation entirely. “I guess if Kash Patel is determined to make something up, he could do it,” he added, acknowledging that the political landscape could still evolve in unpredictable ways.

While hesitant to delve deeper into public commentary on the matter, Clinton did indicate that he’d be open to discussing the issue with President Biden privately. “If President Biden wanted to talk to me about pardoning Hillary, I would talk to him about it,” Clinton said. “But I don’t think I should be giving public advice on the pardon power. It’s a very personal thing.”

Co-host Joy Behar then raised a concern about the optics of pardoning figures like Hillary Clinton, suggesting that it might imply guilt where there is none. “Not necessarily,” Clinton replied, standing firm in his defense of his wife’s actions. “It’s about protecting against a political vendetta. A pardon doesn’t imply wrongdoing.”

The discussion underscored the ongoing political tensions between the Clintons and Trump’s allies, especially with Trump’s plans to overhaul the FBI. While Clinton does not believe a pardon is warranted, he made it clear that, should the situation change, a private conversation with Biden could be on the table.