Republicans and leading MAGA movement figures reacted with outrage to the preemptive pardons announced by Joe Biden in the final hours of his presidency.
Some, including GOP firebrand Marjorie Taylor Greene and Donald Trump Jr, claimed the action was indicative of the pardonees’ guilt, and accused the Democrats of closing ranks to protect their own.
On Monday, shortly before Trump’s swearing-ceremony, Biden pardoned Dr Anthony Fauci, retired General Mark Milley and members of the House committee that investigated the January 6 attack on the Capitol.
The president, who sat just feet away from his political rival throughout the ceremony, said the decision was to guard against potential “revenge” by the new Trump administration. Some 15 minutes before the end of his term, Biden also added several family members to the pardon list.
Supporters of the 47th president were quick to blast the news online.
“Biden pardons for Mark Milley, Anthony Fauci, the members of the Jan. 6 committee and the cops who testified before the committee because they are GUILTY OF CRIMES,” wrote the Georgia congresswoman.
“Never forget what the Democrats have done.The mask is completely OFF.”
Right-wing conspiracy theorist Laura Loomer, who is known to spar with Greene online for the president’s affections, (for once) agreed. “Now we all know for certain they are criminals,” she wrote.
Pardoned because they are guilty of CRIMES.
— Marjorie Taylor Greene 🇺🇸 (@mtgreenee) January 20, 2025
Never forget what they did and who the Democrats are.
The mask is completely OFF. https://t.co/2ZL3ORLdgj
“We always knew, they always denied it. But in the final hour, Biden admits what he did to us during COVID was criminals. He admits what he did to the J6ers and President Trump was criminal.”
She later added: “Biden has pardoned his family. So much for holding the Biden crime family accountable. They will be getting away with all of their crimes. Biden knows his family is a family full of criminals.”
Valentina Gomez, a controversial MAGA zealot and congressional hopeful, added: “Fauci, Liz Cheney & Miley deserve prison, not pardons. These so called ‘Republicans’ didn’t hold them accountable. A bunch of lying clowns.”
Now we all know for certain they are criminals. We always knew, they always denied it. But in the final hour, Biden admits what he did to us during COVID was criminals. He admits what he did to the J6ers and President Trump was criminal.
— Laura Loomer (@LauraLoomer) January 20, 2025
3.5 more hours till our nightmare is… pic.twitter.com/VAVHczEgCB
In a post on social media, the president’s son, Donald Trump Jr, reacted to news that Fauci had thanked Biden for his preemptive pardon but reiterated that he was guilty of no crime.
“He doesn’t have to accept the pardon. If he did nothing wrong be a man and turn it down… But you know he won’t because everyone knows he’s guilty of so much,” he wrote on X, later adding: “If you ever say “I believe in the rule of law.. BUT” you don’t actually believe in the rule of law.”
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, once a rival to Trump for the GOP presidential nomination, also referenced Fauci’s pardon. “One of Biden’s greatest abuses of power was the forcing of mRNA (vaccine) shots by executive fiat (which Florida successfully blocked),” he said.
“Now, on his way out the door, Biden pardons the chief henchman of that and so many other abuses. The swamp protects its own…” He later reacted to Biden’s family pardons. “15 minutes before his term expires, Biden pardons his family members…”
General Mike Flynn, former U.S. national security advisor under Trump, said the offers of pardons were admissions that “something sinister and treasonous” had occurred. Flynn himself was given a presidential pardon in 2020 after being convicted of lying about his communications with Russian diplomats.
“As someone who received a presidential pardon (mine is considered a pardon of innocence because my case was dismissed by a very weaponized DOJ for their own misconduct, then a federal judge weaponized his bench to come after me in an unprecedented way), therefore @realDonaldTrump decided to offer me a pardon. I took it to end the nightmare,” Flynn wrote.
He doesn’t have to accept the pardon. If he did nothing wrong be a man and turn it down… But you know he won’t because everyone knows he’s guilty of so much. https://t.co/e2QKoHaUPb
— Donald Trump Jr. (@DonaldJTrumpJr) January 20, 2025
“These offers of pardons are, no doubt, admissions that something sinister and treasonous occurred during 45’s first administration.”
Announcing the pardons on Monday, Biden said in a statement: “The issuance of these pardons should not be mistaken as an acknowledgment that any individual engaged in any wrongdoing, nor should acceptance be misconstrued as an admission of guilt for any offense.
“Our nation owes these public servants a debt of gratitude for their tireless commitment to our country.”
The prospect of such pardons had been the subject of heated debate for months at the highest levels of the White House. It’s customary for a president to grant clemency at the end of his term, but those acts of mercy are usually offered to Americans convicted of crimes.
