With Trump's legal woes mounting, the 2024 GOP field is facing a new litmus test for the primary: a pledge to pardon Trump.
Trump was indicted in June on 37 federal charges related to his mishandling of classified documents. (WaPo)
Trump has pled not guilty to all 37 charges. If convicted, he could face a maximum of 400 years in prison. (NYT)
As Trump's trial looms, several Republicans are facing questions on whether they would pardon him if elected president.
Under Article 2 of the Constitution, presidents have the power to pardon individuals for federal crimes. (NYT)
1. Vivek Ramaswamy was the first in the field to support a Trump pardon; he showed up to Trump's arraignment in June.
2. Former VP Mike Pence told NBC's "Meet the Press" in June that the question of a pardon for Trump was "premature."
Pence: "It could be subject to a motion to dismiss. We don't know what the verdict will be of the jury." (MTP)
Pence also told Fox News Sunday in June that the DOJ's charges were serious: "I can't defend what is alleged."
He told conservative radio hosts Clay Travis and Buck Sexton in May that he would be "aggressive at issuing pardons."
4. Former SC Gov. Nikki Haley told Travis and Sexton in June that she was "inclined in favor of a pardon."
5. Former Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson shot down the idea of a pardon for Trump during an interview with CNN in June.
Hutchinson: "That really undermines the rule of law in our country that I have served my lifetime supporting." (CNN)
6. Former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie also shot down the idea of a pardon for Trump during a CNN interview in June: