Joe Biden on forgiveness journey: After son Hunter, US President plans pre-emptive pardon for Donald Trump critics 

Senior aides to President Joe Biden are engaged in an intense internal debate about the potential for issuing pre-emptive pardons to a range of current and former public figures. These individuals might be targeted if President-elect Donald Trump returns to the White House, according to senior Democrats familiar with the discussions. 

The deliberations cover pardoning those who are presently in office, as well as former officials who have angered Trump and his supporters. Among those potentially on the list are Senator-elect Adam Schiff (D-Calif.) and former GOP Representative Liz Cheney of Wyoming. Trump has previously called for Cheney to be jailed, along with others involved in the “Unselect Committee” investigation. 

Other figures under consideration for a possible pardon include Anthony Fauci, the former head of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, who became a frequent target of criticism during the COVID-19 pandemic. 

Biden’s aides are increasingly concerned about a number of officials — current and former — who may face investigations or even indictments, especially after Trump’s recent appointment of Kash Patel to lead the FBI. Patel has openly expressed his intent to pursue legal action against Trump’s critics. 

While a White House spokesperson declined to comment on the discussions, they did not deny their existence. 

The talks on preemptive pardons came to the light following the pardon issued to Hunter Biden, son of Joe Biden, by the President after his massive U-turn from his earlier statement on the issue.

President-elect Trump has reacted to President Biden’s decision to pardon his son, Hunter Biden, who was convicted on charges related to tax violations and gun crimes. Trump called it a “miscarriage of justice”. 

On December 1, President Biden signed a pardon for Hunter Biden, which ensures he will not face sentencing for the crimes and eliminates any chance of prison time. In his statement, President Biden argued that individuals in similar circumstances — such as those facing tax issues related to addiction — typically receive non-criminal resolutions. He contended that his son’s case was treated unfairly, leading to felony charges despite no aggravating factors.  

Biden also emphasised that, while he believed his son was “selectively and unfairly prosecuted,” he would not interfere with the Justice Department's decisions. 

Biden explained that the charges against his son were initiated after political opponents in Congress pushed for the case to be brought forward. He added that a plea deal, which had been negotiated with the Department of Justice, unravelled in court due to political pressure.