President Biden issued a last-minute preemptive pardon to some of President-elect Donald Trump's biggest critics, including Gen. Mark Milley, former Republican Rep. Liz Cheney and Dr. Anthony Fauci, as he left the White House on Monday In the first few hours, he was heavily criticized on social media by the house.
Journalist Glenn Greenwald wrote: “Joe Biden’s pardoning of Liz Cheney and others on his last day in office is a perfect example of the realignment of American politics and the rotten soul of the Democratic Party.”
Biden put all members of the House Jan. 6 committee on the preemptive pardon list. Milley accepted the pardon, while Fauci thanked the president but insisted he had done nothing wrong.
Hunter Biden says his mistakes were 'exploited' for political campaign, says he won't deserve pardon
NBC's Kristen Welker reported that Trump sent her a text message expressing his reaction, writing: "This is disgraceful. Many people are guilty of There is a serious crime!”
"If there was any question about who was responsible for the coronavirus pandemic, Biden's pardon of Fauci puts that question to rest forever," said Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky.
Milley thanked Biden in a statement Monday.
"My family and I are deeply grateful to the President for his actions today," he wrote. “After forty-three years of loyal service to our country, protecting and defending the Constitution, I no longer want to spend the remaining time the Lord has given me fighting against those who unjustly seek revenge.”
Biden issued several preemptive pardons to prominent critics of Donald Trump on Monday. (Left to right: (Photo by William B. Plowman/NBC via Getty Images), (Photo by Mandel Ngan - Pool/Getty Images), (Photo by Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images), (Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images ))
"I don't want to subject my family, friends and those I serve with to the distraction, expense and anxiety this will cause," he added.
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“The swamp protects its own swamp,” Florida Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis wrote on social media.
"The issuance of pardons should not be misconstrued as an admission of any wrongdoing by any individual or an admission of guilt for any crime," Biden said in a statement.
Former Democratic Sen. Claire McCaskill expressed "sadness" about the pardon on Monday on MSNBC's "Morning Joe" and said it sets a precedent for the incoming president.
Biden was criticized for pardoning his son, Hunter Biden, in early December after repeatedly telling Americans that he believed in the rule of law and would accept the outcome of his son's trial.
"From the day I took office, I said I would not interfere with Department of Justice decisions, and even as I watched my son be selectively and unfairly prosecuted, I Also kept his word” concerning his son’s pardon.
"Biden pardoned Fauci. He said it was not a confession. But if Fauci was innocent, a pardon would not be needed. The evidence shows Fauci helped create the COVID-19 pandemic and then covered it up. The investigation must continue. All COVID-19 Virus must release the Fauci documents,” Michael Shellenberger, CBR Chair of Politics, Censorship and Free Speech at the University of Austin, wrote on social media.
"No one is above the law except those who receive a blanket, preemptive pardon," wrote commentator Mary Katherine Hamm. "Shame to the end."
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Notably, special counsel Jack Smith, former FBI Director Christopher Wray and Attorney General Merrick Garland were not pardoned, despite speculation that they could face strong opposition from the incoming administration.
Fox News’ Anders Hagström contributed to this report.