America’s presidential pardon is a royal mess

US judges would do well to learn from how the UK’s courts have chipped away at executive prerogative.

US judges would do well to learn from how the UK’s courts have chipped away at executive prerogative.Donald Trump left his worst offences against American democracy and the US presidency almost until the end of his single term in office, when he refused to recognise his opponent’s election victory and summoned a mob to storm the Capitol. But his final acts—amply availing himself of the presidential pardon power—were nearly as egregious. Gleefully doling out executive clemency to more than 140 people in the last 12 hours of his presidency—including to Steve Bannon, his former chief strategist turned con man—Trump, thwarted in his effort to overturn the election result, clearly revelled in this last kingly prerogative.