U.S. President Joe Biden issued pre-emptive pardons on Monday to people who he felt would be targeted for retaliation in Donald Trump’s administration.
Former Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Mark Milley and former White House chief medical advisor Anthony Fauci were among those who were pardoned.
The pardon also covers all lawmakers who served on the congressional select committee that investigated the Jan. 6, 2021 storming of the Capitol by Trump supporters and police officers who testified before it.
Trump, who will return to the presidency, has repeatedly called for the prosecution of his perceived enemies since winning the White House in November.
Biden praised public servants as the “lifeblood of our democracy.” Without mentioning Trump, he expressed alarm that some of them were subjected to threats and intimidation for doing their job.
