Utah Governor Discusses Biden's Consideration of Trump Pardon

Governor Spencer Cox of Utah has publicly shared details of private conversations he had with then-President Joe Biden in 2023, during which he attempted to persuade Biden to pardon Donald Trump regarding criminal charges in multiple jurisdictions. Cox noted that Biden appeared receptive to the idea. According to Cox, Biden responded, "You know, I’ve actually considered this for a while. In fact, just this week as we were lying in bed, Jill and I had a long conversation about it." This anecdote is part of Cox's upcoming book, "Off Ramp: How to Be a Peacemaker in an Age of Contempt," which has been obtained by The Atlantic ahead of its release next month. Cox, who has positioned himself as a bipartisan leader, stated that the request was aimed at fostering unity in a divided nation. Although the pardon did not materialize, Cox believed that a gesture from Biden to Trump could have alleviated some of the escalating partisan tensions. The governor has focused on initiatives to combat political polarization and harmful rhetoric, particularly after the assassination of conservative activist Charlie Kirk in September 2025. Although Cox did not support Trump in the 2016 or 2020 elections, he later endorsed Trump following an assassination attempt against the president in 2024, which he described as eliciting unexpected backlash. In a letter to Trump, Cox expressed, "You have the opportunity to do something that no other person on earth can do right now: unify and save our country." In his book, Cox reflected that his experiences with both presidents did not unfold as he had hoped, wishing for Biden to choose mercy and Trump to choose unity. Cox initiated the "Disagree Better" campaign during his tenure as chair of the National Governors Association in 2023, aiming to reduce inflammatory rhetoric and promote healthy debate. This initiative has since become an independent nonprofit and remains a key focus of his efforts against political partisanship. He emphasized the need for an "off-ramp" to prevent worsening political divisions in a speech following Kirk's assassination. Shortly thereafter, Cox traveled with Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro, a Democrat, to advocate in Washington, D.C. for political leaders to moderate their rhetoric, including that of Trump.