Trump's Jan. 6 pardons put one of his nominees at risk: Morning Joe

MSNBC's Joe Scarborough predicted that Donald Trump's pardon of his violent Jan. 6 supporters could endanger the chances of at least one of his nominees to be confirmed.

The newly inaugurated president issued blanket pardons to U.S. Capitol riot defendants, including those convicted of attacking law enforcement officers, within hours of being sworn in to a second term in office, and the "Morning Joe" host wondered how that brazen move would impact Senate confirmation hearings for his nominees.

"Right now, even those in the Trump administration this morning would say Tulsi Gabbard's a heavy lift," Scarborough said. "RFK Jr. may be the surprise and may be the surprise because because, again, a lot of conservatives see him as as pro-choice progressive, and the guy, despite some of his quirky views and some would say dangerous views on on health care, he's, you know, he may be a safe no for a lot of these conservative senators."

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The Jan. 6 defendants have become a powerful symbol among Trump's base of the supposed abuses by Joe Biden's Justice Department, but his own vice president J.D. Vance and attorney general nominee Pam Bondi, as well as lawmakers like Sen. Thom Tillis (R-NC), have in recent days strongly condemned the rioters who attacked police.

"I guess the question is, if anybody's challenged by this and what happened, it would be most likely [FBI director nominee] Kash Patel that will raise questions in Thom Tillis's mind," Scarborough said. "Thom Tillis, who said, you know, you can't release the violent offenders, people who beat the hell out of cops and several others, and we've already talked about how the Pam Bondi hearing was sort of a hearing more or less on Kash Patel and what many believe to be his worst instincts."

Tillis sits on the Senate Judiciary Committee, which will consider Patel's nomination before a full vote in the Senate, and Scarborough said Trump's move puts his loyalist's chances at risk.

"I would probably say that if anybody were affected by this negatively," Scarborough said, "it might be Kash Patel."

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