During the 2024 campaign, Trump made threatening comments about people he said had slighted or wronged him.
WASHINGTON — President Joe Biden and his senior aides are discussing the idea of issuing pre-emptive pardons for people President-elect Donald Trump has scorned in recent years as he has hinted about plans for retribution, two sources familiar with the discussions confirmed.
While the discussions have included certain names, including Senator-elect Adam Schiff, D-Calif., Dr. Anthony Fauci and former Rep. Liz Cheney, R-Wyo., the process hasn’t progressed to the point of consensus on an actual list, sources said.
Some Democrats and “Never Trump” Republicans have supported the notion of pre-emptive pardons to protect people under a new Trump presidency.
Politico first reported that Biden was considering taking the action.
Previous presidents have issued such pardons, including George H.W. Bush for former Defense Secretary Caspar Weinberger over his role in the Iran-Contra scandal; Gerald Ford for former President Richard Nixon in the wake of the Watergate scandal; Jimmy Carter for Vietnam War draft dodgers; and Abraham Lincoln for ex-Confederate soldiers.
