Question
Why did President Gerald Ford pardon Richard Nixon?
Ford believed Nixon had been wrongfully accused
Ford wanted to help heal the nation after the Watergate scandal
Ford thought Nixon was guilty but felt a pardon was the best way forward
Ford was trying to avoid a lengthy trial
Ford believed Nixon had been wrongfully accused
Ford wanted to help heal the nation after the Watergate scandal
Ford thought Nixon was guilty but felt a pardon was the best way forward
Ford was trying to avoid a lengthy trial
Answers
GPT-4o mini
President Gerald Ford pardoned Richard Nixon primarily because he wanted to help heal the nation after the Watergate scandal. Ford believed that the country needed to move past the divisions and turmoil caused by the scandal, and he thought that granting a pardon would facilitate reconciliation and restore confidence in government. While Ford acknowledged the controversies surrounding Nixon's actions, his decision was motivated by a desire to put the Watergate incident behind the nation, avoid the distractions of a lengthy trial, and promote unity.