On the 20th (local time), U.S. President Joe Biden carried out a 'preemptive pardon' on his departure day and the inauguration day of President-elect Donald Trump.
On this day, President Biden pardoned former National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) Director Anthony Fauci, former Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Mark Milley, and former and current lawmakers including Liz Cheney, who participated in the House special committee investigating the Capitol invasion incident by Trump supporters on Jan. 6, 2021.
The targets of this pardon are those who had conflicts with or criticized President-elect Trump during his first term in office and afterwards. The purpose is to use the 'preemptive pardon power' for people who have not yet been indicted to protect them from investigations that Trump could conduct after taking office.
Former Director Fauci had clashes with President-elect Trump regarding the COVID-19 response, and former Representative Cheney was a representative anti-Trump figure within the Republican Party, supporting then-Democratic candidate Vice President Kamala Harris during last year's presidential election.
Biden's family was also included in this pardon. His brother James Biden and his wife, sister Valerie Biden Owens and her husband, and brother Francis Biden.
In his statement, President Biden noted, 'Our country has always relied on dedicated and selfless public servants, and they are the lifeline of our democracy,' adding, 'These public servants have served our country with honor and excellence, and should not be subjected to unfair and politically motivated prosecutions.'
In response, President-elect Trump criticized via text message sent to an NBC reporter on the same day, saying, 'That is disgraceful,' and added that 'many of them are guilty of major crimes,' the reporter revealed through X (formerly Twitter).