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I've been trying to figure out why I don't think Trump will pardon himself. I think the reason is that doing so would be dumb: it will create controversy and focus on misdeeds right when he would want that to go away, & honestly I think the odds that DOJ prosecutes him are low
...and his real legal liability seems to be at the state level, anyway, which a self-pardon wouldn't touch
Trump also has a real skill in identifying just where the ACTUAL line is for Republicans and not stepping over it (eg threatening to fire Mueller but not actually doing so). To put it another way, maybe he's not gutsy enough
OTOH, Trump pardoning himself and thereby creating massive controversy and interest in his potential crimes, while also not doing anything to shield himself from prosecution in NY state, is absolutely the stupidest outcome—which by the rules of 2020 means that it will 100% happen
