Why didn't Richard Nixon pardon himself?

Asked by: Aileen Reilly  |  Last update: May 26, 2026
Score: 5/5 (5 votes)

Richard Nixon didn't pardon himself because his own Justice Department advised against it, citing the fundamental legal principle that "no one may be a judge in his own case," making a self-pardon likely unconstitutional and legally invalid, though the Constitution doesn't explicitly forbid it. He also faced other legal complications, including the fact that accepting a pardon might be seen as an admission of guilt (as suggested by the Supreme Court case Burdick v. United States), and his lawyers explored alternative strategies, like the Vice President acting as President to pardon him, but ultimately, the legal advice pointed away from a self-pardon as a viable solution before his resignation.

Was Richard Nixon ever pardoned?

The pardon of Richard Nixon (officially, Proclamation 4311) was a presidential proclamation issued by Gerald Ford, the president of the United States, on September 8, 1974, granting a full and unconditional pardon to Richard Nixon, his predecessor, for any crimes that he might have committed against the United States ...

What President did not pardon anyone?

Only two U.S. Presidents never granted any pardons: William Henry Harrison, who died just a month into his term, and James A. Garfield, who was assassinated early in his presidency, leaving neither with enough time to exercise their pardon power. 

Has a President ever pardoned himself?

370, 370 (1974) (opining during the Nixon Administration that a President may not pardon himself based on the fundamental rule that no one may be a judge in his own case ).

Who cannot be pardoned by the president?

The President of the United States may pardon anyone who commits a federal offense against the United States. They may also pardon anyone who commits a federal offense against the District of Columbia. The president cannot grant pardons for violations of state laws.

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