President Joe Biden's senior aides are considering the merits of issuing preemptive pardons for a range of current and former officials who President-elect Donald Trump may target, sources familiar with the discussions told Politico. Fears that Trump will seek vengeance on his political foes have been heightened by the nomination of figures like FBI director-designate Kash Patel, who has threatened to "come after" people in government and the media alike, whether "criminally or civilly," citing false claims that the 2020 election was stolen.
People under consideration for a pardon include Sen.-elect Adam Schiff, D-Calif., and former Rep. Liz Cheney, R-Wyo., two leading members of the House of Representatives' now-dissolved Jan. 6 committee. Trump once suggested that Cheney “should go to Jail along with the rest of the Unselect Committee!” Another prominent figure being discussed is Anthony Fauci, the former head of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases who became a frequent target of attacks from Trump and MAGA world during the COVID-19 pandemic.
