or it's a great time to do it, with so many other stories going on.

Pardons always happenat the end of a presidency cycle...with re-election or not...just when they do it. Happy New Year and all... Had nothing to do with thinking he is not coming back...

I think he doesn’t care about optics anymore. He won re-election and it’s Christmas Time.

Doubt, like fear

exists only in your mind

It doesn't exist otherwise.

Pardons and commutations are common around the end of year holidays.

Trump is a tough read on this. He's pardoned very few despite the feelings the MSM are trying to invoke so there is no 'normal.'

Right before Christmas is an excellent optic for pardoning people: religious sentiment is in the air, forgiveness, family, etc. But yeah it could also look like something you would do before leaving. It could be either way....

I thought this too, but if he was worried about not being in for 4 more years he could've pardoned all these people on January 19. Instead he did it right before Christmas, seems kind. No way of knowing though, if we could figure Trump out so could his enemies.

Is it possible President Trump is fighting to stay in office and doesn't definitively know one way or the other? Seems like a lot of people here believe all is predetermined and we just have to wait find out how it ended. Its a fight, noone knows who will land the knockout punch. Keep your hands up and protect yourself at all times!