White House officials have said that the 82-year-old Biden plans to issue additional pardons and commutations before his term ends on Jan. 20.
Biden confirmed in the interview that he is considering whether to issue preemptive pardons that would protect individuals from prosecution for charges that have not yet been brought.
“Some of your supporters have encouraged you to issue preemptive pardons to people like Liz Cheney and Anthony Fauci … will you do that?” Page asked Biden.
“I tried to make it clear that there was no need, and it was counterintuitive for his interest to go back and try to settle scores,” Biden said, recounting a conversation he had at the White House with Trump following the November election.
Biden said Trump did not respond directly to that advice.
“He didn’t. But he didn’t say, ‘No, I’m going to…’ You know. He didn’t reinforce it. He just basically listened,” Biden said.
“So you haven’t decided yet. You’re still assessing this issue?” Page asked.
“No, I haven’t,” Biden responded. “A little bit of it depends on who he puts in what positions,” Biden said.
Biden in late 2024 pardoned his son, Hunter Biden, whom a jury convicted of federal gun charges and who pleaded guilty to intentionally failing to pay taxes. Biden later pardoned another 39 people and commuted the sentences of some 1,500 others, including 37 death row prisoners.
Hillary Clinton’s name has come up often in discussions of possible preemptive pardon. The twice failed presidential candidate, who mishandled confidential emails and whose campaign funded opposition research against Trump, was included in a list of Deep State operatives compiled by Kash Patel, Trump’s nominee for FBI director.
Former President Bill Clinton has said that he does not think Biden should preemptively pardon his wife. “I hope he won’t do that,” he said during a recent television appearance on Dec. 11.