President Joe Biden issued preemptive pardons for potential Trump administration targets during his final hours in office.

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Craig Nigrelli Anchor

Politics

Biden preemptively pardons Fauci, Milley, Jan. 6 committee members

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Craig Nigrelli Anchor

By Craig Nigrelli (Anchor), Shea Taylor (Producer), Emma Stoltzfus (Producer/Video Editor)

In the final hours of his tenure, President Joe Biden issued preemptive pardons for potential targets of the Trump administration. On Monday, Jan. 20, Biden preemptively pardoned Dr. Anthony Fauci, who led the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases for nearly four decades — including during the COVID-19 pandemic during President-elect Donald Trump’s first administration.

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He also pardoned now-retired Gen. Mark Milley, who served as chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff during Trump’s first term, and has publicly warned he believes Trump is a fascist. Milley has also been heavily criticized by Republicans for the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan.

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President Biden also issued preemptive pardons for members of Congress who served on the Jan. 6 Committee — including former Republican Rep. Liz Cheney, who Trump has vowed retribution against.

President Joe Biden’s statement

Our nation relies on dedicated, selfless public servants every day. They are the lifeblood of our democracy.

Yet alarmingly, public servants have been subjected to ongoing threats and intimidation for faithfully discharging their duties.

In certain cases, some have even been…
— President Biden (@POTUS) January 20, 2025

In a statement, President Biden said, “Our nation relies on dedicated, selfless public servants every day. They are the lifeblood of our democracy. Yet alarmingly, public servants have been subjected to ongoing threats and intimidation for faithfully discharging their duties.”

Biden added, “These are exceptional circumstances, and I cannot in good conscience do nothing.”

Reaction from both sides of the aisle

The president also made clear the preemptive pardons are not meant to imply any wrongdoing; rather, they’re meant to provide protection for these individuals. Some Democrats argued against preemptive pardons, including Sen. Adam Schiff, D-Calif., who served on the House Jan. 6 Committee.

Some Trump supporters have also spoken out against the pardons, like Georgia Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, R, who claimed in a post on X that those pardoned Monday are guilty of crimes.

Tags: Adam Schiff, Afghanistan, Anthony Fauci, COVID-19, Donald Trump, Jan. 6, Joe Biden, Liz Cheney, Marjorie Taylor Greene, Mark Milley, Pandemic, Pardon, Select Committee to Investigate the January 6th Attack on the United States Capitol, X

[Craig Nigrelli]

IN THE FINAL HOURS OF HIS TENURE – PRESIDENT JOE BIDEN ISSUED PRE-EMPTIVE PARDONS FOR POTENTIAL TARGETS OF THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION.

BIDEN PRE-EMPTIVELY PARDONED DR. ANTHONY FAUCI – WHO LED THE NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF ALLERGY AND INFECTIOUS DISEASES FOR NEARLY FOUR DECADES, INCLUDING DURING THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC DURING PRESIDENT-ELECT DONALD TRUMP’S FIRST ADMINISTRATION.

HE ALSO PARDONED NOW-RETIRED GENERAL MARK MILLEY – WHO SERVED AS CHAIRMAN OF THE JOINT CHIEFS OF STAFF DURING TRUMP’S FIRST TERM AND HAS PUBLICLY WARNED HE BELIEVES TRUMP IS A FASCIST.

HE’S ALSO BEEN HEAVILY CRITICIZED BY REPUBLICANS FOR THE U-S WITHDRAWAL FROM AFGHANISTAN.

THE PRESIDENT ALSO ISSUED PRE-EMPTIVE PARDONS FOR MEMBERS OF CONGRESS WHO SERVED ON THE JANUARY 6-TH COMMITTEE – INCLUDING FORMER REPUBLICAN REPRESENTATIVE LIZ CHENEY… WHO TRUMP HAS VOWED RETRIBUTION AGAINST.

IN A STATEMENT PRESIDENT BIDEN SAID QUOTE, “OUR NATION RELIES ON DEDICATED, SELFLESS PUBLIC SERVANTS EVERY DAY.

THEY ARE THE LIFEBLOOD OF OUR DEMOCRACY…”

“YET ALARMINGLY, PUBLIC SERVANTS HAVE BEEN SUBJECTED TO ONGOING THREATS AND INTIMIDATION FOR FAITHFULLY DISCHARGING THEIR DUTIES.”

“THESE ARE EXCEPTIONAL CIRCUMSTANCES, AND I CANNOT IN GOOD CONSCIENCE DO NOTHING.”

THE PRESIDENT ALSO MADE CLEAR THE PRE-EMPTIVE PARDONS ARE **NOT** MEANT TO IMPLY ANY WRONGDOING – RATHER, THEY’RE MEANT TO PROVIDE PROTECTION FOR THESE INDIVIDUALS.

SOME DEMOCRATS ARGUED AGAINST PREEMPTIVE PARDONS, INCLUDING SEN. ADAM SCHIFF, WHO SERVED ON THE HOUSE JAN. 6 COMMITTEE.

SOME TRUMP SUPPORTERS HAVE ALSO SPOKEN OUT AGAINST THE PAORDONS… LIKE GEORGIA CONGRESSWOMAN MARJORIE TAYLOR-GREENE, WHO CLAIMED IN A POST ON X THAT THOSE PARDONED TODAY **ARE** GUILTY OF CRIMES.

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