US President Donald Trump has said he cannot intervene in the case of Lindsay Clancy, whose defence attorney publicly requested a presidential pardon after her murder trial ended in a mistrial.

Trump made the comments on Sunday while leaving Ireland, responding to questions about Clancy, who is accused of killing her three children in Duxbury, Massachusetts, in 2023.

“It’s a very sad situation. I certainly heard that,” Trump said. “Look, it’s very sad. There’s no winner there. There’s no win no matter what you do. Three children are dead. So I don’t know. It’s actually a state situation, not a federal.”

Clancy’s attorney, Kevin Reddington, had asked Trump to pardon his client during a television appearance last week, despite acknowledging that the president does not have authority to pardon her because she is not facing federal charges.

Reddington has argued that Clancy should not be held criminally responsible for the deaths because she was experiencing postpartum psychosis at the time of the incident.

Her trial ended in a mistrial after jurors failed to reach a unanimous verdict, with the jury reportedly split 11-1.

Asked whether he would contact Plymouth District Attorney Tim Cruz about the case, Trump said the matter would have to be resolved at the state level.

“I appreciate that he feels that way, and he’s a good attorney. I’ve heard from other people he’s a very good attorney. I hope they can work it out,” Trump said. “That’s something they have to work out. It’s very sad. There is no win there.”

Reddington later said his public appeal was intended to draw Trump’s attention to the case and potentially encourage him to contact Cruz.

Cruz has not announced whether prosecutors will seek a retrial. A further hearing is scheduled for September 29, while Reddington is seeking to have the case dismissed after speaking with several jurors. (Arise News)