Questionable 11th-hour preemptive pardons were met with appreciation by the likes of General Mark Milley and Anthony Fauci.
Concerns that President-elect Donald Trump may attempt to hold Fauci, Milley and the members of the January 6 committee accountable led President Joe Biden to pardon all involved. While this angered Trump and his supporters who see the pardons as the denial of justice for the American people, statements of gratitude were issued by two of the recipients.
Milley, who served as Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff under Trump, thanked Biden for the move and took an opportunity to swipe at his former boss.
“My family and I are deeply grateful for the President’s action today,” a spokesperson for the retired Army general said to USA Today. “After forty-three years of faithful service in uniform to our Nation, protecting and defending the Constitution, I do not wish to spend whatever remaining time the Lord grants me fighting those who unjustly might seek retribution for perceived slights.”
Fauci took a similar tone in his statement to ABC News’s Jonathan Karl, adding that he denies committing any crime worthy of a pardon.
“I really truly appreciate the action President Biden has taken today on my behalf. Let me be perfectly clear, Jon, I have committed no crime, you know that, and there are no possible grounds for any allegation or threat of criminal investigation or prosecution of me,” the former National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) director said.
Dr. Anthony Fauci tells me he appreciates the pardon, but he committed no crime:
“I really truly appreciate the action President Biden has taken today on my behalf. Let me be perfectly clear, Jon, I have committed no crime, you know that, and there are no possible grounds for…
— Jonathan Karl (@jonkarl) January 20, 2025
He is thankful that the president has effectively staved off what he believes could have been a politically motivated prosecution for the actions he took during the COVID-19 pandemic.
One person who is unhappy with the pardons is Sen. Rand Paul, who says the pardon proves Fauci “bears responsibility” for the pandemic.
If there was ever any doubt as to who bears responsibility for the COVID pandemic, Biden’s pardon of Fauci forever seals the deal.
As Chairman of the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee I will not rest until the entire truth of the coverup is exposed.…
— Rand Paul (@RandPaul) January 20, 2025
“If there was ever any doubt as to who bears responsibility for the COVID pandemic, Biden’s pardon of Fauci forever seals the deal. As Chairman of the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee I will not rest until the entire truth of the coverup is exposed,” the senator wrote in a post on X. “Fauci’s pardon will only serve as an accelerant to pierce the veil of deception. Ignominious! Anthony Fauci will go down in history as the first government scientist to be preemptively pardoned for a crime.”
Trump also responded, calling the pardons “disgraceful” in a text to NBC News’s Kristen Welker.
“It is disgraceful. Many are guilty of MAJOR CRIMES! DJT” the message read.
NEW: President-elect Trump texted me his reaction to President Biden’s preemptive pardons of the Jan. 6 committee and witnesses, Anthony Fauci and Mark Milley.
“It is disgraceful. Many are guilty of MAJOR CRIMES! DJT”
— Kristen Welker (@kwelkernbc) January 20, 2025
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