Answer: The President's pardoning powers, as outlined in Article II of the Constitution, are quite broad. The President has the power to grant pardons for federal crimes, which includes the power to issue pardons, commutations of sentences, and reprieves. The President can use this power to forgive a person for a federal crime, reduce their sentence, or temporarily suspend their sentence.
Explanation:
While the Constitution does not explicitly limit the President's pardoning power, there are some limitations on how it can be used. For example, the President cannot use the pardoning power to pardon someone for a state crime, as the Constitution only grants the President pardoning power for federal crimes. Additionally, the President cannot use the pardoning power to pardon themselves or to protect themselves from impeachment.
Despite these limitations, there have been instances where Presidents have used their pardoning power in ways that go beyond the express powers granted to them by the Constitution. For example, President Gerald Ford pardoned former President Richard Nixon for any crimes he may have committed while in office, even though Nixon had not been charged with any federal crimes. President George H. W. Bush also pardoned several individuals who were involved in the Iran-Contra affair, even though they had not yet been charged with any crimes.
Overall, while the Constitution grants the President broad pardoning powers, there are limits on how those powers can be used. Presidents have sometimes used their pardoning power in ways that go beyond the express powers granted to them by the Constitution, but such actions have been rare and controversial.