President Donald Trump is continuing to prove his allegiance to Elon Musk, stating that he would be amenable to issuing pardons to him and other White House aides if Democrats take control of the House of Representatives. Here is a closer look at what the president said and what it means for Musk and other Trump associates.

Trump Confirms He Will Protect Musk and Other Associates

President Trump said that he would protect the world's richest man as well as members of his administration if the Democrats launch investigations into alleged wrongdoing. Trump made the comments recently on the podcast "Pod Force One with Miranda Devine."

When asked how he would react if the Democrats prepared for investigations after potentially taking over the House after the midterm elections, Trump said, "It's talk, but if it is talk, we'll have to protect them."  The White House and its business supporters have largely been protected over the last two years because the GOP had control of both the Senate and the House. This has limited the ability of the Democrats to launch formal investigations into alleged illegal actions taken by Musk and other supporters of the president.

However, that could all change on January 3 when the new Congress is installed after Tuesday's midterm elections. The likelihood that the Democrats will win back the House and possibly even take control of the Senate has many political pundits wondering if investigations are in the near future.

Trump was asked during the interview if he thought the House Democrats would be able to investigate Musk and seize his assets should they gain control of this chamber of Congress. The president said that he would issue preemptive pardons to his close ally, as well as to other possible targets of the Democrats.

Trump defended his position, saying that "That's what Biden did. He gave everybody a pardon. I would if I needed to, sure. I wouldn't even think about it. I did it for J6." These types of preemptive pardons can be issued even if the subject has not been formally charged with any crimes. Trump was referring to the decision of former President Joe Biden to pardon his son, Hunter, just before leaving office two years ago.

The podcast interview aired on November 2 on the eve of the midterm election. Should the Democrats indeed take control of the House as predicted, they would then control the various committees that lead these investigations.

Democrats Preparing to Initiate Investigations Into Trump Allies

Democrats have already signaled that they will support investigations into Musk, particularly surrounding when he was put in charge of the now-defunct Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) early in the president's second term. Musk could also be investigated for his companies' contracts with the federal government, as well as his role in shutting off access to his satellite internet provider Starlink to Ukraine. Starlink is operated under the umbrella of Musk's company SpaceX.

Musk has been a prolific financial supporter of the president and the GOP in recent years. The entrepreneur spent almost $290 million to help Trump get back in the Oval Office for his second term. Musk has leaned in even more this election cycle, spending an eye-popping $474 million to help the Republicans stay in control of both chambers of Congress, according to a recent report from the New York Times.

The current spending cycle from Musk includes about $212 million to boost the chances of Texas GOP Senate nominee Ken Paxton. Paxton has been locked in a tight battle in the Lone Star State with Democratic nominee James Talarico. The Talarico camp has been vocal about its disdain for letting Musk buy the election, using it as a battle cry on the campaign trail as the race comes down to the wire.

The president is right that Biden issued a flurry of pardons before leaving the White House in early 2025. Biden issued pardons to several of Trump's adversaries in an attempt to protect them from what may lie ahead once the GOP was back in power.

Those who received preemptive pardons from Biden included Sen. Adam Schiff, D-Calif., former Rep. Liz Cheney, R-Wyo., and other members of the House committee that investigated the Jan. 6 attack on the Capitol. Others who received Biden pardons included Dr. Anthony Fauci and Gen. Mark Milley.

Trump has not been shy about wielding this presidential pardon power. Since resuming the presidency in January of 2025, Trump has granted clemency to over 1,700 people. The majority of these had been involved in the January 6 riots. The president has also pardoned dozens of business associates convicted of engaging in white-collar crime.

Curious for more stories that keep you informed and entertained? From the latest headlines to everyday insights, YourLifeBuzz has more to explore. Dive into what's next.