“Another innocent who could have been shielded by Trump on the way out the door, but he had other priorities on his mind.”
Trump, on the way out the door, had been impeached by the House in record time and was on schedule to be tried by the Senate immediately after he left office. As it was 57 Senators, of the 67 required, voted to convict, including 7 Republican Senators.
It is very possible McConnell and others made a deal with Trump telling him if he did certain things, such as pardon the January 6 protestors as well as Julian Assange and Edward Snowden, there were more than enough GOP Senators willing to join the vote to convict. Had Trump been convicted by the Senate he would never have been able to hold federal office again. In addition, the Biden DOJ would likely have sought convictions for the same crimes he was tried for in the Senate and seeking lengthy prison terms.
It’s worse than that. It wasn’t a threat to convict in the post inauguration impeachment. At that point all of his cabinet had either resigned or made statements against him. Lead by Pence, they could have removed him with a simple cabinet vote on the 7th or any day before the 20th. Trump could have responded that he was not disabled and was in command. That afternoon, Congress could override Trump reasserting office with a 2/3 vote, no trial needed.
The process could have taken a day. And then he and his kids would face immediate arrest right there at the White House.
It was a very real threat and was immediate. Effectively, Pence and Pelosi and Milley were the Ruling junta.
Even so, Trump should have pardoned them.
Pardon them, then continue to fight whatever injustice they threw at him.