For his last act as the 46th President of the United States, Joe Biden has issued preemptive pardons for some of Donald Trump‘s arch-enemies, functionally blocking the latter from seeking retribution when he’s inaugurated into the Oval Office later today.
Trump winning the 2024 race still feels like an absurd déjà vu moment we have neither accepted nor necessarily adjusted to, but the true horror begins today when the convicted president is formally inaugurated as the 47th president. Given everything we know about the man and his impulsive nature, Trump’s first order of business will be to sign two dozen executive orders undermining many things that Joe Biden achieved or reversed during his presidency, including but not restricted to pardons for his cronies, lining the pockets of his new masters, and pursuing isolationist policies that already caused enormous damage to the country during his first term.
If you thought that Trump was unhinged during his first term, just wait until he sets foot in the White House again, because this time around, the man has nothing to lose except his slipping grip on his sanity and all the time in the world to stroke his self-importance with the weight of the office of the most powerful politician on the planet behind him. In essence, the world at large is bracing itself against Trump’s guaranteed onslaught, and even the Democrats are taking some precautionary measures to avoid his tantrums.
President Biden, for one, has decided that his last act as president should be to pardon people in Trump’s “enemies from within” list, whom he has vowed to go after during his administration. Chief among Biden’s list of pardons is Dr. Anthony Fauci — the lead star of Trump’s worst nightmares — and retired General Mark Milley, who previously said he feared being court-martialed if Trump won the election. Biden also issued pardons for members of the House committee that investigated the January 6 attack on Capitol Hill.
This could be construed as a somewhat unprecedented act from a sitting president. It’s not unusual for presidents to issue pardons at the end of their term, but these are only granted to Americans convicted of crimes, not those who aren’t even being investigated. According to the Associated Press, the decision had been mulled over ad nauseam over the last few months at the White House, but Biden ultimately decided to not take any chances where Trump is concerned.
“The issuance of these pardons should not be mistaken as an acknowledgment that any individual engaged in any wrongdoing, nor should acceptance be misconstrued as an admission of guilt for any offense,” Biden said. “Our nation owes these public servants a debt of gratitude for their tireless commitment to our country.”
Biden continued by adding that these “exceptional circumstances” require such drastic actions, even if it means paving the path for future presidents to use blanket pardons for their aides and advisors.
“These are exceptional circumstances, and I cannot in good conscience do nothing. Even when individuals have done nothing wrong — and in fact have done the right thing — and will ultimately be exonerated, the mere fact of being investigated or prosecuted can irreparably damage reputations and finances.”
Of course, it’s self-evident that none of this would’ve been a topic of debate if the country wasn’t dealing with an egotistical megalomaniac who has repeatedly threatened to steamroll his political opponents by any available means.
Published: Jan 20, 2025 11:15 am