CNN: White House Has Prepared Paperwork For Trump To Pardon Arpaio

FILE - In this Jan. 9, 2013 file photo, Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio speaks with the media in Phoenix. Arpaio begins a four-day hearing Tuesday, April 21, that could bring him fines, damage his credibility and... FILE - In this Jan. 9, 2013 file photo, Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio speaks with the media in Phoenix. Arpaio begins a four-day hearing Tuesday, April 21, that could bring him fines, damage his credibility and make him politically vulnerable for his acknowledged violations of a judge's orders in a racial profiling case. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin,File) MORE LESS
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The White House has paperwork ready for President Donald Trump to pardon former Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio if and when he chooses to do so, CNN reported on Wednesday.

CNN reported, citing an unnamed administration official, that the White House has also readied talking points to send to official surrogates after Trump pardons Arpaio, who was convicted in July of criminal contempt of court.

Trump said last week that he was “seriously” considering pardoning Arpaio, but did not do so at a rally Tuesday night in Phoenix, Arizona.

“You know what, I’ll make a prediction: I think he’s going to be just fine, OK? But I won’t do it tonight because I don’t want to cause any controversy,” Trump said. “But Sheriff Joe should feel good.”

White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders gave reporters a similarly time-stamped denial earlier Tuesday, but did not rule out the possibility that Trump would pardon Arpaio at some future point.

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