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President Donald Trump has decided to pardon his former chief adviser Steve Bannon, in a decision of last minute it took just hours before his scheduled departure from the White House.
The President Trump granted clemency to Stephen K. Bannon , accused of defrauding political donors supporting the construction of a border wall that Trump promoted, White House officials told The New York Times.
The president made the decision after a day of frantic efforts to influence him, including from Bannon himself, who spoke to him by phone on Tuesday.
The clemency was described as a preventive measure that would effectively eliminate the charges against Bannon, should that he was sentenced.
Bannon was charged and arrested in August for Federal prosecutors in Manhattan on charges related to handling money raised to promote the construction of the border wall, part of Trump’s immigration policy.
Bannon’s pardon was particularly notable because it has been charged with a crime but has not yet been tried.
An overwhelming majority of pardons and commutations granted by presidents have been for the convicted and sentenced.
