Fact check: Senate Democrats introduced a bill to explicitly ban the President of the United States from self-pardoning for federal…

Verdict: mostly true — Trust Score 79/100

The claims in this post reported by the Department of Justice, BBC News, and official congressional records. President Trump did issue blanket pardons for approximately 1,500 January 6 defendants on January 20, 2025, and pardoned Binance founder Changpeng Zhao in October 2025, prompting the 2026 legislative push by Senate Democrats.

mostly true verification card — Trust Score 79/100
Platform
instagram
Source author
usdailypost — see all fact-checks of this account
Original post
https://www.instagram.com/reel/DZGGcxXz8T6/
Verified on
June 16, 2026
Verification ID
PMnuc8P-pVmHvtvyylbLxQ

Original content reviewed

Platform: INSTAGRAM Author: @usdailypost --- Caption/Description --- Senate Democrats have introduced a new bill to explicitly ban President Donald Trump and any sitting president from pardoning themselves for federal crimes, particularly corruption charges. The legislation aims to close a legal loophole and ensure that no president can use executive pardon power to avoid prosecution or jail time. This proposal emerged after Trump issued controversial pardons for around 1,500 January 6 rioters, crypto boss Changpeng Zhao, and other figures, which Democrats say represents an alarming abuse of presidential power. The bill would also prohibit presidents from pardoning relatives, high-ranking officials, or anyone in exchange for personal financial or political benefits. While the proposal reflects growing Democratic concern about Trump's pardon abuse, it faces steep legislative hurdles since amending presidential pardon powers would likely require a constitutional amendment needing two-thirds approval in Congress and ratification by three-quarters of states. Despite unlikely passage, the bill serves as a symbolic statement against what lawmakers call a "breaking point" in presidential pardon power misuse. --- On-Screen Text (OCR) --- US DAILY POST. */ To The Respective Owner *THIS VIDEO IS ONLY FOR REPRESENTATION PURPOSE* SENATE DEMOCRATS INTRODUCE NEW BILL TO BAN TRUMP FROM PARDONING HIMSELF. US DAILY POST. Published: 2026-06-02T19:31:49.000Z ---VERIFICATION_SUMMARY--- Platform: INSTAGRAM Author: @usdailypost --- Caption/Description --- Senate Democrats have introduced a new bill to explicitly ban President Donald Trump and any sitting president from pardoning themselves for federal crimes, particularly corruption charges. The legislation aims to close a legal loophole and ensure that no president can use executive pardon power to avoid prosecution or jail time. This proposal emerged after Trump issued controversial pardons for around 1,500 January 6 ri

Claims analyzed (5)

  1. verified: Senate Democrats introduced a bill to explicitly ban the President of the United States from self-pardoning for federal crimes.
    Senate Democrats, including Sens. Mark Kelly and Adam Schiff, held a press conference on June 1, 2026, to unveil the 'Drain the Slush Fund Act' and other measures aimed at curbing presidential pardon abuses, specifically self-pardons.
  2. verified: Donald Trump issued pardons for approximately 1,500 January 6 rioters.
    On January 20, 2025, President Trump signed Proclamation 10887, granting blanket clemency to approximately 1,500 individuals charged in connection with the January 6 Capitol attack.
  3. verified: Donald Trump issued a pardon for crypto executive Changpeng Zhao.
    President Trump pardoned Binance founder Changpeng Zhao (CZ) in October 2025, citing concerns that his prosecution was politically motivated.
  4. mostly true: The proposed legislation prohibits presidents from pardoning relatives, high-ranking officials, or individuals in exchange for financial or political benefits.
    The 'Pardon Integrity Act' and related proposals introduced in 2025 and 2026 specifically target pardons involving conflicts of interest, including relatives and political donors.
  5. mostly true: Amending presidential pardon powers requires a constitutional amendment needing two-thirds approval in Congress and ratification by three-quarters of the states.
    Article V of the U.S. Constitution mandates a two-thirds vote in both the House and Senate and ratification by three-quarters of state legislatures to amend the Constitution.

Sources consulted (8)

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