US President Joe Biden issued preemptive pardons during his final hours as president, including his immediate family, Republican lawmaker Liz Cheney, former Joint Chiefs Chairman Mark Milley, and public health official Anthony Fauci, among others, Reuters reports.
These pardons were aimed at protecting them from politically motivated investigations by incoming President Donald Trump, who has called for prosecutions against his perceived enemies. Biden also commuted the life sentence of Native American activist Leonard Peltier, allowing him to serve the remainder in home confinement, despite opposition from law enforcement and FBI.
Trump criticized the pardons, labeling them unjustified and suggesting they set a precedent for similar actions during his administration.
