The White House is considering preemptive pardons to current and former public officials, according to a report.
Politico reported, citing senior Democrats familiar with the discussions, Biden aides are worried about officials that could find themselves under attack when President-elect Donald Trump returns to the White House. This also comes after Trump nominated Kash Patel as the next director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
The potential blanket pardons are being considered among White House officials “to those who’ve committed no crimes, both because it could suggest impropriety, only fueling Trump’s criticisms, and because those offered preemptive pardons may reject them,” as the outlet reported.
Among those named in the report include Rep. Adam Schiff (D-Calif.), former Rep. Liz Cheney (R-Wyo.), and Anthony Fauci, the former director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases.
Per the report, President Joe Biden “has not been brought into the broader pardon discussions yet.”
“That the conversations are taking place at all reflects the growing anxieties among high-level Democrats about just how far Trump’s reprisals could go once he reclaims power,” the outlet reported.
Sen. Mike Lee (R-Utah) reacted on X, “When should we expect Diddy’s pardon?”
However, some seem to be in favor. Rep. Brendan Boyle (D-Penn.) said in a statement on Wednesday that Biden should issue blanket pardons.
He wrote: “If we’re serious about stopping Trump’s authoritarian ambitions, we need to act decisively and use every tool at our disposal. Norms and traditions alone won’t stop him—Trump has shown time and again that he’s willing to ignore them to consolidate power and punish his opponents. The time for cautious restraint is over. We must act with urgency to push back against these threats and prevent Trump from abusing his power.”
