President Donald Trump criticized former President Joe Biden on Monday night from the Oval Office, following Biden’s decision to issue last-minute pardons to his family and political allies.
Trump stated, “I was surprised that President Biden would go and pardon his whole family because that makes him look very guilty.” He added, “You know I could have pardoned my family, I could have pardoned myself, my family, and I said if I do that it’s going to make me look very guilty — I don’t think I’d be sitting here frankly. I don’t think I’d be sitting here right now because it would’ve shown that you’re guilty.”
President Trump: “I was surprised that President Biden would go and pardon his own family because that makes him look very guilty.” pic.twitter.com/S4jQRu2Lwo
— Conservative War Machine (@WarMachineRR) January 21, 2025
Trump’s comments came after Biden pardoned several family members, including his brother James B. Biden, James’ wife Sara Jones Biden, his sister Valerie Biden Owens, Valerie’s husband John T. Owens, and his brother Francis W. Biden.
In a statement, Biden defended his actions:
“My family has been subjected to unrelenting attacks and threats, motivated solely by a desire to hurt me—the worst kind of partisan politics. Unfortunately, I have no reason to believe these attacks will end.”
Biden emphasized his belief in the rule of law, saying, “I am optimistic that the strength of our legal institutions will ultimately prevail over politics. But baseless and politically motivated investigations wreak havoc on the lives, safety, and financial security of targeted individuals and their families. Even when individuals have done nothing wrong and will ultimately be exonerated, the mere fact of being investigated or prosecuted can irreparably damage their reputations and finances.”
He clarified that the pardons were not an admission of wrongdoing:
“These pardons should not be mistaken as an acknowledgment that they engaged in any wrongdoing, nor should acceptance be misconstrued as an admission of guilt for any offense.”
In addition to his family, Biden issued pardons to notable figures such as Dr. Anthony Fauci, retired U.S. Army General Mark Milley, and members of the Democrat-led January 6 committee, just hours before President-elect Donald Trump’s inauguration.
