Donald Trump, for the first time since the election, leaves the White House for several days and flies to his residence in Mar-a-Lago for the end of the year holidays.
Not without the latest coup, however, by granting pardon or commuting the sentence to as many as 20 controversial characters convicted of serious crimes by American justice.
A real Christmas present to friends, allies and corrupt politicians, including two suspects involved in Russiagate and three former Republican members of Congress very close to the outgoing president.
Not only that: Trump's pardon also went to four mercenaries of the Blackwater company accused of war crimes in Iraq, responsible in 2007 for the massacre of Nisour Square in Baghdad in which 17 civilians were killed, including two children aged 8 and 11 .
An episode that caused a wave of indignation in the international community.
The wave of measures - experts explain - concerns many cases that would not meet the standards necessary to be considered, with Trump who would have decided to proceed bypassing the usual review process by the Department of Justice.
In short, once again a use of the power of grace by the outgoing American president that detractors consider unscrupulous and mainly aimed at satisfying personal and political purposes.
Suffice it to think, as the New York Times recalls, that out of 45 measures for the granting of pardon or commutation of the sentence passed by Trump since the beginning of his mandate, as many as 88% have benefited people linked to the president and involved in promotion of its political agenda.
This is also shown by the identikit of many of the characters pardoned in these hours.
George Papadopoulos is the former foreign policy adviser to Trump's 2016 election campaign, convicted following investigations by special prosecutor Robert Mueller, as well as a lawyer linked to the tycoon, Alex van der Zwaan.
Then there are the three former Trump supporters, Duncan Hunter, Chris Collins and Steve Stockman, sentenced to heavy sentences for crimes ranging from the misuse of campaign funds to misrepresentation to the FBI, through financial fraud and money laundering.
In the case of the Blackwater military contractors, then, American commentators also recall how the former head of the company is Erik Prince, the billionaire friend of the president and, among other things, the husband of the Trump administration's education minister, Betsy. DeVos.
Insiders argue that this new giant wave of measures is not the last that The Donald has in mind between now and January 20, when willy-nilly will have to give way to Joe Biden.
Not to mention the most sensational hypothesis echoed several times within the walls of the Oval Office: that of a preventive pardon for the president's eldest children - Donald Jr, Eric and Ivanka - to protect them, at least in part, from future legal troubles.
As well as his personal lawyer and friend Rudy Giuliani.
With Trump who could even pardon himself.
Meanwhile, in the last few hours, a challenge to Congress has also started from the White House, with Trump who in a video posted on Twitter called the agreement reached on the 900 billion dollar stimulus plan for the economy "a shame", especially for that $ 600 check promised to the Americans, which he would like to bring to at least $ 2,000.
"If this is not the case - he said threatening his veto - the question will be dealt with by the next president ... which could then be me".
In addition, Trump still challenges Congress and vetoes the defense law passed by a large majority in the House and Senate.
Now the same majority could reject the president's veto.
The maxi provision provides for an expenditure of 740 billion dollars.
Trump had asked in vain to insert the abolition of immunity for social media and the abolition of the rule that allows you to change the names of military bases headed to Confederate characters.