Trump’s reported list of pardons condemned by US late-night hosts: ‘It’s a Pardonpalooza’

Reports suggest outgoing US president will pardon more than 100 people

Several US late night talk show hosts have condemned Donald Trump’s reportedly extensive list of presidential pardons.

President Trump, who was recently impeached by the House of Representatives for inciting the Capitol Hill riots, has just hours left before leaving office, with Joe Biden set to be inaugurated tomorrow (20 January).

This week, reports emerged that Trump intends to pardon more than 100 people before stepping down, including Paul Manafort, Lil Wayne and Rudy Giuliani.

The news was criticised by TV hosts including Stephen Colbert and Conan O’Brien.

“There’s 48 hours left in the Trump presidency, and there are reports that Trump has basically given up his presidential duties,” said O’Brien on his late night series Conan. “But there is one area where Trump apparently has been working hard: issuing pardons.”

This joke led into a parody of a Trump rally, in which the US president announces a “Pardonpalooza” to a crowd of cheering supporting. 

On his series, Colbert referenced reports that an associate of Giuliani had claimed that a pardon would cost $2m (£1.5).

“Finally, POTUS is running a business that makes money,” Colbert joked.

In the opening monologue of his show, Jimmy Fallon joked about the fact that Trump had not attempted to pardon himself.

“Trump is the only president in history who decides not to pardon himself, and you immediately think: ‘What’s he up to?'” he quipped.

“I’m not surprised Trump didn’t pardon himself today, because then he’d be liable for whatever he does tomorrow.”

You can find a full list of Trump’s presidential pardons to date here.