President Joe Biden has issued pardons for Dr. Anthony Fauci, retired Gen. Mark Milley, and members of the House committee that investigated the Jan. 6 Capitol attack, employing the extraordinary powers of his office in his final hours.
The move seeks to shield them from potential retaliation by the incoming Trump administration, which has hinted at punitive measures against perceived political adversaries.
The decision follows Donald Trump’s repeated warnings about an “enemies list” targeting individuals who challenged him or held him accountable for his attempts to overturn the 2020 election and his role in the Jan. 6, 2021, insurrection. Trump has signaled plans to appoint Cabinet members aligned with his election fraud claims, many of whom have vowed to punish those who participated in investigations into his conduct.
“These pardons should not be viewed as an acknowledgment of wrongdoing, nor does their acceptance constitute an admission of guilt,” Biden stated. “This is a necessary act to protect public servants who have served our nation honorably.”
Biden acknowledged the unorthodox nature of his decision, which extends clemency to individuals not formally accused of crimes, emphasizing the exceptional circumstances. “Even when individuals are ultimately exonerated, the mere fact of an investigation can cause irreparable harm to reputations and livelihoods,” he said.
Fauci, who served as director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases for nearly 40 years and retired in 2022 as Biden’s chief medical adviser, was pivotal in managing the nation’s COVID-19 response. His refusal to support Trump’s unsubstantiated claims made him a frequent target of right-wing ire, with critics blaming him for pandemic restrictions.
Milley, former chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, faced backlash for describing Trump as a fascist and for disclosing details of Trump’s actions during the Jan. 6 insurrection.
Biden’s pardons also cover members of the bipartisan Jan. 6 committee, including former Republican Representatives Liz Cheney and Adam Kinzinger, as well as Capitol and D.C. Metropolitan police officers who testified during the hearings. The gesture underscores Biden’s intent to protect individuals who, he said, “upheld their duty to democracy in the face of unprecedented threats.”
* The Associated Press contributed to this article.
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