In classic Donald Trump fashion, the former president unleashed a scathing critique of Joe Biden’s last-minute pardons, targeting what he characterized as a hypocritical and self-serving move. As Biden left the White House, he granted preemptive pardons to a roster of family members and political allies, including Anthony Fauci, Retired General Mark Milley, and several members of the January 6 Committee. Trump, never one to mince words, lambasted the decision as a glaring betrayal of Biden’s campaign-era promises to avoid such political maneuvering.
During a Fox News appearance with Sean Hannity, Trump couldn’t help but highlight a particularly juicy detail—Biden hadn’t included himself in the clemency sweep. Hannity was quick to remind viewers that Biden had previously condemned the notion of preemptive pardons, especially when rumors swirled that Trump might pardon his children or Rudy Giuliani during his first term. At the time, Biden had decried the idea as a blow to America’s image as a beacon of justice. But as Trump pointed out with a smirk, those lofty ideals seemed to evaporate when it came to protecting Biden’s own inner circle.
Trump used the moment to contrast his own presidency, revealing that he, too, had been offered the option to pardon himself and his allies but declined. He argued that neither he nor his administration had engaged in wrongdoing, making such pardons unnecessary. Taking a swipe at Biden’s now-abandoned rhetoric about an impartial Justice Department, Trump claimed the outgoing president’s actions were less about fairness and more about shielding his closest confidants from potential legal troubles.
The former president also took time to praise the loyalty and perseverance of his own allies, including Steve Bannon and Peter Navarro, who had faced significant legal battles and financial ruin during Biden’s tenure. Trump painted a picture of resilience, noting that many of his supporters had refused to bend under pressure, even rejecting the idea of pardons out of principle. In stark contrast, Biden’s flurry of clemency grants appeared, to Trump, as a desperate act to cover for his administration’s missteps and safeguard his own reputation.
Perhaps Trump’s sharpest jab came when he zeroed in on the most glaring omission in Biden’s list of pardons: Joe Biden himself. With a mix of sarcasm and indignation, Trump questioned why the man at the center of so many controversies didn’t see fit to protect himself. For Trump, the move wasn’t a display of justice but a blatant effort to shield Biden’s cronies while leaving unanswered questions about the outgoing president’s own accountability. The saga, in Trump’s eyes, only further solidified the stark contrast between his administration’s handling of justice and Biden’s eleventh-hour scramble to rewrite his legacy.
