President-elect Donald Trump slammed President Joe Biden’s last minute preemptive pardons to several prominent political figures as “disgraceful.”
Biden’s pardons, issued on Monday, covered former director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases Anthony Fauci, retired Gen. Mark Milley, Liz Cheney as well as members of and witness to the congressional select committee that investigated the January 6 Capitol riot. In his statement, the president framed the move as a necessary protection against politically motivated attacks.
Trump took a moment as a full day of inaugural events kicked off to text a brief comment to NBC News’ Kristen Welker.
“It is disgraceful. Many are guilty of MAJOR CRIMES! DJT”
In a statement justifying his decision — one of his last as president — Biden noted that he was seeking to protect those named from “baseless and politically motivated investigations” that would be launched, presumably, by the incoming Trump administration.
He wrote: “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. Our nation owes these public servants a debt of gratitude for their tireless commitment to our country.”
