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> Trump can wait until the last day in office then issue pardons for any possible crimes, right?

Is your mental model of the pardon process actually confused? Yes, the president can unilaterally issue pardons, and Donald Trump is president until the end of his term, so he can issue pardons on his last day in office.

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Is the hostility really required?

The comment was about last-day pardons, not pardons in general. Its a topic many presidents have gotten flak or attention for.

What hostility? I was asking if they were really confused or if they were asking rhetorically. If they were actually confused, the answer is yes.

edit: oh, I guess "and Donald Trump is president until the end of his term" could come off as patronizing. I meant it just as a statement in a chain of reasoning

Recent untested precedent exists of blanket pardons needed for unqualified crimes and they are so far likely to be challenged on a different technicality (first?).. Asking what people think is not confused unless you are being uncharitable or know a lot of actual precedents that we all should know from another era.

I am fully unaware of any challenges to recent pardons. I don’t follow politics much and just knew about the blanket pardon that I assume all presidents will use going forward unless it’s challenged in court.

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