President Donald Trump said Monday he would be willing to pardon Elon Musk if he believed the billionaire needed protection from potential prosecution. As Democrats prepare to investigate Musk and other Trump allies if they gain control of Congress, Trump is making it no secret that he will use his executive power to protect his close friend and supporter.

During a pre-taped interview on the New York Post’s Pod Force One, host Miranda Devine asked Trump about claims that Democrats could seek to arrest Musk, seize his factories or nationalize SpaceX.

“It’s talk. But if it is talk, we’ll have to protect them,” Trump said.

Asked directly whether he would consider issuing preemptive pardons to Musk and other allies who worked with his administration, Trump replied: “I would if I needed to, sure.”

“I would not even think about it. I’d do it,” he added, pointing to his previous use of presidential pardons.

Democratic lawmakers have discussed investigating Musk if they gain control of Congress, including his work with the Department of Government Efficiency, his companies’ federal contracts and potential conflicts of interest.

Trump’s comments offer another glimpse of how he is preparing for the possibility of divided government after Tuesday’s midterm elections. In the same interview, he said he could become “Mr. Veto” if Democrats take control of Congress and begin sending legislation to his desk.

The president also suggested he would use his pardon power to protect officials and allies if he believed they were being unfairly targeted.

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