WASHINGTON — In a final act of his presidency, President Joe Biden granted pardons to Dr. Anthony Fauci, retired General Mark Milley, and members of the House committee that investigated the January 6th Capitol attack. This extraordinary use of executive power aims to prevent potential retribution from the incoming Trump administration.
Biden’s action follows warnings from Donald Trump about retaliatory measures against those who opposed him politically or sought to hold him accountable for his actions surrounding the January 6th, 2021, Capitol riot.
Dr. Fauci, the National Institutes of Health’s director for nearly four decades and Biden’s chief medical advisor until his 2022 retirement, played a key role in the nation’s COVID-19 response. His refusal to endorse Trump’s unsubstantiated claims made him a target of intense criticism from the right, who blamed him for policies they viewed as infringing on their rights, even amidst widespread loss of life.
General Mark Milley, former Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, publicly criticized Trump’s conduct related to the January 6th insurrection, even calling him a fascist.