Politico has a piece wondering when or if Donald Trump will simply pardon the three criminals—adviser Michael Flynn, campaign head Paul Manafort, and Wikileaks-campaign link Roger Stone—who have done the most to obstruct the federal investigation into Trump's own involvement in their actions. All three have been broadcasting their fervent loyalty and desires for pardons VERY LOUDLY, just to make sure Donald does not forget about their plight. And all three have been taking specific actions that appear to be demonstrations of their fealty.
Flynn hired a new, podium-pounding "lawyer" who took a far more aggressive and conspiracy-minded approach to his case. Roger Stone isn't just suggesting he won't turn on Trump, but specifically declaring it. And Paul Manafort, currently rotting in prison for illegal acts while working for pro-Russian Ukrainian crooks, appears to be assisting new Paul Manafort Rudy Giuliani in Giuliani's efforts to track down Manafort's prior Ukrainian buddies and inviting them to craft new dirt against targeted Americans.
Politico weighs numerous factors in attempting to judge the likelihood of those three pardons, using factors such as coverage on Donald's preferred Fox programs measured against Trump's advisers warning him of the political blowback, and (least plausibly by far) whether he believes they have been treated "unfairly." To be honest that is more work than needs to be done here: Specifically, the notion that Donald Trump gives a rodent's ass about whether Flynn, Manafort, or Stone is sad about their plight is implausible; Trump is a narcissist. None of the three truly even exist in his mind except as figures to be exploited.
Does pardoning the three help Trump? Then he'll do it. Does pardoning the three make Trump look bad? Then he won't. This calculation is made every time Trump hears any of the three names, and his current decision is not a reliable predictor of what he will decide tomorrow or next week. To Trump, the idea of "punishing" his perceived enemies (that is, government investigators and law enforcement) by nullifying their work appears to be supremely satisfying for him. Trump has very often made or threatened pardons specifically to undercut the rule of law, such as his pardon of Dinesh D'Souza for campaign finance crimes (as Trump stands accused of far more egregious violations) and ex-Sheriff Joe Arpaio, pardoned for brazenly defying the courts in his attempts to continue overtly cruel and racist policies very similar to those Trump himself has been demanding, regardless of legality, of border officials.
It seems highly likely that Trump will indeed pardon the three, simply to retaliate against the FBI and other law enforcement officials for investigating him. He is a creature of grievance and revenge, and rarely wastes an opportunity to show it. Whether it happens before the next election or after depends on how confident Dear Leader is feeling about his ability to commit corrupt acts and be publicly flattered; a Senate Republican declaration that Trump can commit extortion and legitimizing "absolute" executive branch privilege to cover up those acts might provide exactly that boost.
On the other hand, immunizing three key Mueller witnesses even as other related cases may be waiting in the wings could be dangerous, and not just politically: It's not clear any of the three would have grounds to refuse congressional subpoenas to more fully explain the acts they are now immune from prosecution over, and Trump's own involvement—precisely what Trump has been trying to forestall. Trump cannot pardon individuals for future crimes, such as lying to Congress after the pardon was issued; it is to his advantage to leave them stewing as long as possible, hoping for Republicans to retake the House and bury the probes for once and for all.
Or not. Any attempt to inject rationality into Trump's behavior is doomed to fail. He will do what he wants to do any given morning, on every given morning. Perhaps it will be sabotaging the Kurdish population of Syria at a strongman’s request; perhaps it will be the declaration that anyone connected even in passing to presidential crimes is now immune to prosecution so long as they remain loyal to Dear Leader and Dear Leader's family. Flip a coin.