General Discussion

@Emile
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To him they're all "basement dwellers" who also just happened to be convenient tools for his advancement.

But Trump has a real problem with the upcoming possibility of Jan 6 pardons. This is a no/win—no/win situation for him. One of Trump's staples in his campaign runs has been to imply threats but not personally actualize them. Implication is vague enough to be legally argued whereas actualities have a higher contrast demanding accountability. Trump is accountable for whatever makes him look good but anything else he'll just find someone to take the blame.

But re Jan 6 pardons, Trump will be held solely responsible and accountable for his decision. Whichever way he goes he's going to offend one side and that means consequences of all sorts.

His choice will be revealing in that it will indicate whether he wants to make nicey-nice with the power-dwellers rather than the basement-dwellers; with the former things would be a little less contentious while the latter may be emboldened to create even worse problems for Trump.

There is also the outside chance that he'd do a few 'courtesy' pardons that would please no one but would give him some wiggle-room for explaining his decision.