Trump Criticizes Biden’s Pardons for Family Members in Final Hours of Presidency
In a series of remarks delivered at the Capital One Arena on Monday, US President Donald Trump took aim at former President Joe Biden’s controversial pardons issued in the final hours of his presidency. The pardons, which included family members of Biden, sparked criticism from Trump, who suggested they were politically motivated.
“Did you know that Biden, while I was making my speech, pardoned his whole family?” Trump questioned the audience. “The brother, the whole deal, was pardoned. Can you imagine that, while I was making my speech? Did everybody hear my speech? Did you like my speech? Thank you.”
Trump further explained that his aides had advised him to avoid making his inaugural address “too tough” by mentioning the pardons or discussing other pending clemency decisions, including pardons for individuals involved in the January 6th Capitol insurrection. However, he later contradicted himself by revealing he was unaware of the pardons when he began his speech, only learning about them after his address had concluded.
“Can you believe it? He’s pardoned — you know why he did it while I was speaking? Because that way I couldn’t speak about it,” Trump added. “I was speaking, I didn’t know he (Biden) did it. I finished my speech, and they said, ‘Sir, he pardoned his whole family.’ I said, ‘Oh, can I go back out there and talk about it?’ Somehow, that wouldn’t be very elegant.”
Trump also acknowledged that his remarks on the pardons were delayed, saying, “Our first lady would say, ‘Please don’t do that.’ We have plenty of time to talk about it, and we will.”
During a later appearance to sign executive orders, Trump described Biden’s pardons as “unfortunate,” but indicated he would reserve further comment for a later time. “We won’t discuss it now. There’s plenty of time to discuss it,” the President stated.
Among the individuals pardoned by President Biden in his final hours in office were Anthony Fauci, retired General Mark Milley, members of the House January 6 investigative committee, and various family members, including Biden’s brothers James B. Biden and Francis W. Biden, as well as his sister Valerie Biden Owens and her husband John T. Owens. Biden also granted clemency to his sister-in-law, Sara Jones Biden.
In a statement, President Biden explained the pardons by citing concerns over “baseless and politically motivated investigations” that could harm the lives and safety of those involved. Biden expressed his belief in the strength of the rule of law, but acknowledged the need for clemency to protect individuals and families from politically charged scrutiny.
Additionally, in December 2024, President Biden pardoned his son, Hunter Biden, who had faced legal challenges related to his business dealings. That decision, too, attracted significant criticism from lawmakers, including President-elect Trump, who called the pardon a “miscarriage of justice” and questioned why Biden had not granted clemency to individuals involved in the January 6 insurrection.
As Trump continues to voice his concerns over Biden’s pardons, the political implications of these last-minute clemencies remain a contentious issue in the ongoing political discourse.
