Former President Joe Biden issued a preemptive pardon to Gen. Mark Milley on Monday, marking the end of a presidency overshadowed by the tumultuous Afghanistan withdrawal in 2021, just before the inauguration of Donald Trump.
Gen. Milley accepted the pardon shortly before the Inauguration Ceremony, stating in a released statement that he wishes to avoid spending the rest of his life battling 'retribution.'
Despite the pardon, critics in Congress are not ready to let the matter rest. Sen. Jim Banks, R-Ind., a veteran of Afghanistan, declared, 'Mark Milley may have been pardoned, but we will continue to explore avenues to hold him accountable.' Post-withdrawal evaluations have predominantly raised concerns about the military's decision to withdraw from the region before completing civilian evacuations.
