In a stunning eleventh-hour move, President Joe Biden has issued pardons for several high-profile figures, including Dr. Anthony Fauci, Gen. Mark Milley, and members of the House committee that investigated the January 6th Capitol attack. The decision comes amid growing fears that the incoming Trump administration may seek revenge against those who have crossed the former president politically or attempted to hold him accountable.
Shielding Key Figures from Trump’s Wrath
Biden’s pardons appear to be a preemptive strike against the potential for retaliatory actions by Trump and his allies. During his campaign, Trump made no secret of his intention to go after those he viewed as enemies, specifically calling out individuals who had been involved in efforts to investigate his conduct surrounding the 2020 election and the January 6th insurrection.
They’re going to pay a big price, all of these people that wronged us. They messed with the wrong president.
– Donald Trump, at a campaign rally
Fauci in the Crosshairs
Dr. Fauci, who served as the public face of the nation’s Covid-19 response, has been a particular target of Trump’s ire. The former president frequently clashed with Fauci over his refusal to downplay the severity of the pandemic or endorse unproven treatments. This made Fauci the subject of intense vitriol from Trump’s supporters.
By pardoning Fauci, Biden hopes to shield him from any politically motivated investigations or legal actions that a Trump administration might launch. It’s a recognition of Fauci’s service to the country under extraordinarily difficult circumstances.
Milley’s Precarious Position
Gen. Mark Milley, the former Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, also finds himself in a precarious position. Milley ran afoul of Trump when he expressed concerns about the former president’s mental state and his attempts to overturn the 2020 election. He even went so far as to call Trump a “fascist” in private conversations.
While Milley was simply doing his duty to protect the Constitution, his actions have made him a prime target for retribution from Trump loyalists. The pardon from Biden grants him a degree of protection as he transitions into retirement.
Safeguarding the January 6th Investigators
Perhaps most significantly, Biden has extended pardons to the members of the House select committee that investigated the January 6th attack on the Capitol. Their work, which laid bare Trump’s role in inciting the riot and his subsequent attempts to overturn the election, has put them directly in the former president’s crosshairs.
By pardoning the committee members, Biden is sending a clear message that their service to the nation in defending democracy will not be punished. It’s a bold step to protect them from the political vendetta that Trump has vowed to carry out.
An Unprecedented Situation
The use of presidential pardons to shield individuals from the actions of an incoming administration is highly unusual. It speaks to the extraordinary circumstances of this transition, where a departing president feels the need to protect those who have upheld the rule of law from the potential abuses of his successor.
It’s a sad commentary on the state of American politics, but it also demonstrates the resilience of the country’s institutions. Even in the face of an unprecedented threat, there are still tools available to defend democracy and the individuals who have served it faithfully.
Looking Ahead
As the nation prepares for the return of a Trump administration, Biden’s last-minute pardons offer a glimmer of hope and protection for those who have found themselves in the former president’s crosshairs. It remains to be seen whether they will be enough to thwart Trump’s revenge plans entirely, but they are a significant step in defending the principles of democracy and the rule of law.
For Fauci, Milley, the January 6th committee members, and the nation as a whole, the coming months and years are likely to be a test of resilience and resolve. But with the protection afforded by Biden’s pardons, they can face those challenges with a measure of security and the knowledge that their service has been recognized and valued at the highest levels.
