Joe Biden confirmed he’s mulling giving preemptive pardons to Anthony Fauci, Liz Cheney and other allies before leaving office.
Biden made the remarks during an interview with USA Today on Wednesday, claiming the former Republican Wyoming congresswoman and former NIAID Director were under particular consideration since President-elect Donald Trump had threatened to investigate them upon taking office.
Exclusive: President Biden says he urged President-elect Trump not to 'settle scores' https://t.co/hBrMoqfXIc via @usatoday
— Susan Page (@SusanPage) January 8, 2025
Biden said he tried appealing to Trump during a meeting after his election victory not to pursue investigations against them, and would issue the preemptive pardons based on who Trump appoints for “top administration” positions.
From USA Today:
When Biden met with Trump in the Oval Office a week after the November election, he urged the president-elect not to go forward with threats to target those who have criticized him or, in Cheney’s case, helped lead efforts to impeach him.
“I tried to make clear that there was no need, and it was counterintuitive for his interest to go back and try to settle scores,” Biden said. How did Trump respond? “He didn’t say, ‘No, I’m going to …’ You know. He didn’t reinforce it. He just basically listened.”
Biden said his decision would be based “a little bit” on whom Trump names to top administration roles. The president-elect has chosen former Florida attorney general Pam Bondi as his nominee to head the Justice Department and firebrand loyalist Kash Patel to head the FBI.
“So you haven’t decided yet. You’re still assessing this issue?” interviewer Susan Page asked.
“No, I haven’t,” Biden responded. “A little bit of it depends on who he puts in what positions.”
Democrat and media figures have been urging Biden to pardon many of his comrades, including Mark Milley, embattled FBI Director Christopher Wray, DOJ lawyers, the whole Biden family, including Joe Biden himself, Cheney, Rep. Nancy Pelosi, Sen. Adam Schiff (D-Calif.), former Rep. Adam Kinzinger, and others.
Politico first reported last month that Biden and top White House aides were “deeply concerned” certain government officials, like January 6 committee members and public health officials like Fauci “could find themselves facing inquiries and even indictments” when Trump returns to power.
Schiff, one of the members of the House J6 Committee, said he doesn’t want a preemptive pardon from Biden because it would only fuel speculation that he and others who receive pardons broke the law in the first place.
“I would urge the president not to do that,” Schiff said. “I think it would seem defensive and unnecessary.”
Trump told MSNBC’s Kristen Welker last month that Biden would have good reason to pardon people like Cheney and other J6 Committee members because they committed crimes.
“Biden can give them a pardon if he wants to,” Trump said. “And maybe he should.”
“Just remember, the unselect committee – a year and a half of sworn testimony, and after getting all of the testimony, they deleted it, wait, and they destroyed almost everything,” Trump explained. “There’s nothing left. It’s unprecedented, and they deny you do that. In a civil case, you go to jail.”
Please also support our sponsor DrJonesNaturals.com while you can!