In first interview, President Donald Trump warns Joe Biden: 'He didn't pardon himself'

Joe Biden had issued pre-emptive pardons for his siblings and their spouses saying that they had been subject to “attacks” to hurt him

Updated on: Jan 23, 2025, 13:04:24 IST

By HT News Desk

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Donald Trump on Thursday, in his first interview since taking the oath as US President for the second time, issued a warning to Joe Biden, saying his predecessor had not given himself a pre-emptive pardon that would guard him against any actions taken by the current administration.

Joe Biden and Donald Trump at the latter's inauguration ceremony (AFP)

“This guy went around giving everybody pardons, and you know, the funny thing, maybe the sad thing, is he didn't give himself a pardon. If you look at it, it all had to do with him,” Trump told Fox News.

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During his last days in office, Biden had issued pre-emptive pardons for his siblings and their spouses saying that they had been “subjected to unrelenting attacks and threats, motivated solely by a desire to hurt me — the worst kind of partisan politics,” and indicated that he thought such attacks would continue.

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He also pardoned Dr. Anthony Fauci, retired Gen. Mark Milley, members of the House committee that investigated the January 6 attack on the Capitol as well as other allies who might suffer from “political revenge” exacted by Republican President Donald Trump.

“The issuance of these pardons should not be mistaken as an acknowledgment that they engaged in any wrongdoing, nor should acceptance be misconstrued as an admission of guilt for any offense,” he said in a statement.

Biden had also pardoned his son Hunter in connection with a federal case for tax and gun crimes.

In response to Biden granting pre-emptive pardons to his allies, Trump had earlier expressed that the former President had set an “unbelievable precedent” and that he was free to follow that precedent as well now.

During his campaign, Donald Trump had suggested on multiple occasions that he would mobilise the US Justice Department to prosecute his political foes.

While his attorney general pick Pam Bondi stated that he would not take action solely for political purposes, she refused to rule out potential investigations into Trump's adversaries, including the special counsel which brought two federal criminal cases against Trump.

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HT News Desk
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