Donald Trump and his lawyers are actively researching how to go about issuing presidential pardons for himself, family, and certain aides; at the same time, Trump is trying to undercut the special prosecutor looking into Russian influence on the 2016 presidential election. 

If Trump goes through with either scenario, it puts the United States of America on course with a full-blown constitutional crisis.

Reports released late Thursday night in America seem to set up a looming confrontation between Trump and special prosecutor Robert Mueller, a former FBI chief.  The Trump legal team is seeking out potential conflicts of interest to use as disqualifying factors and impugn Mueller's objectivity in the case, according to strongly sourced reporting by the New York Times.  In true clownish fashion, they're looking over Mueller's quitting a Trump golf club in 2011 in a dispute over dues as proof of bias.  It suggests Trump's lawyers are looking for excuses to fire the special prosecutor.

Along with trying to knock out Mueller's legs out from underneath him, the Washington Post says Trump himself has asked his legal team about his own power to pardon not just aides and family members, but also himself.  Although many have suspected this, it's the first reporting that has members of the administration openly discussing the subject. 

Article II, Section 2, of the US Constitution gives the president the power to "grant Reprieves and Pardons for Offences against the United States, except in Cases of Impeachment".