In a final act as president, Joe Biden issued a series of preemptive pardons on January 20, shielding several high-profile individuals from potential legal scrutiny. The list includes Dr. Anthony Fauci, retired Gen. Mark Milley, and members of the U.S. House committee that investigated the January 6, 2021, Capitol breach, including former Rep. Liz Cheney. Biden also extended pardons to law enforcement officers who testified before the committee, such as retired Metropolitan Police officer Michael Fanone.
In a statement, Biden justified the pardons by claiming the individuals were the targets of “unjustified and politically motivated prosecutions.” He characterized the move as an effort to uphold the “rule of law” in what he called “exceptional circumstances.” However, critics argue the pardons are a blatant attempt to shield political allies from accountability.
The timing of the pardons, just hours before President-elect Donald Trump’s inauguration, has raised eyebrows, as many of the recipients have faced accusations of misconduct. Fauci, for example, has been accused of lying under oath about his knowledge of gain-of-function research in China. Milley admitted to contacting a Chinese general during Trump’s presidency to assure him that the U.S. would not attack China—a move that some have labeled as undermining civilian control of the military. Cheney, a vocal critic of Trump, was a central figure in the now-disbanded January 6 committee, which Republicans have accused of erasing or failing to archive critical investigative records.
The pardons drew swift condemnation from Republicans. Rep. Andrew Clyde (R-Ga.) called the move emblematic of “the most CORRUPT Administration in American history.” Trump spokesperson Karoline Leavitt also criticized Biden, accusing him of abusing executive power to protect those who led “unconstitutional and failed witch hunts” against Trump.
Biden, however, downplayed the implications of his actions. “The issuance of these pardons should not be mistaken as an acknowledgment that any individual engaged in any wrongdoing,” he said, while praising the recipients as public servants who deserve gratitude for their service.
For conservatives, this move epitomizes the Democrats’ propensity to use executive power to shield allies and rewrite the narrative. Biden’s eleventh-hour pardons come across as a desperate attempt to protect key figures tied to his administration’s legacy. While the left frames these individuals as heroes, conservatives see a cover-up aimed at avoiding accountability for actions that have deeply divided the nation.
As President Trump prepares to take office, these pardons set the stage for renewed scrutiny of the Biden administration’s conduct and the figures it has sought to protect. Restoring trust in the rule of law will require more than pardons—it demands transparency, accountability, and leadership that prioritizes the American people over political allies.
Joe Biden just issued preemptive pardons for Mark Milley, Anthony Fauci, and Members of Congress and staff of the sham J6 Committee.
In its final hours, the most CORRUPT Administration in American history is covering up Democrats’ trail of criminal activity.
Yet we will never…
— Rep. Andrew Clyde (@Rep_Clyde) January 20, 2025
