President Donald Trump, in a revealing conversation with Fox News' Sean Hannity, expressed his "sorrow" over former President Joe Biden's failure to pardon himself at the conclusion of his tenure. This candid remark emerged as Hannity inquired about Trump's predecessor's decision to grant pardons to family members and others he perceived would be targeted by Republicans, during Trump's first interview from the White House on Wednesday. The interview, set to air in its entirety at 9 p.m. Eastern time on the same day, shed light on the contrasting pardoning philosophies of the two presidents.
On Monday, in the twilight hours of his presidency, Biden issued a series of pardons amidst Trump's declaration that he would seek "retribution" against perceived enemies by wielding his presidential powers. "This guy is going around like a pardoning Santa Claus," Trump quipped to Hannity. "The ironic, perhaps tragic, part is that he overlooked himself in the process."
"And if you think about it, it all revolves around him," Trump added thoughtfully.
Biden's magnanimous gesture extended unconditional pardons to multiple family members, encompassing his brother James Biden and sister-in-law Sara Biden, his brother Frank Biden, his sister Valerie Biden Owens, and her husband John Owens. Biden cited the relentless onslaught of attacks and threats aimed solely at harming him, branding it as the epitome of partisan politics at its worst. He expressed doubts that these onslaughts would ever cease.
Moreover, Biden preemptively pardoned Dr. Anthony Fauci, General Mark Milley, and lawmakers who served on the House committee probing the January 6, 2021 Capitol riots, anticipating political persecution orchestrated by Trump.
Trump lambasted Biden for these pardons, asserting that he refrained from similar actions because "we didn't do anything wrong."
"I was presented with the option," Trump recounted regarding preemptive pardons. "They asked, 'Sir, would you like to pardon everyone, even yourself?' I replied, 'I won't pardon anyone.'"
"We didn't commit any misdeeds," he emphasized. "Our supporters suffered immensely; they are true patriots. Take Steve Bannon and Peter Navarro, for instance. They were incarcerated. People lost their life savings, paying lawyers' fees."
It's worth noting that Trump has previously pardoned extended family members. In 2020, he granted a pardon to Charles Kushner, father of his son-in-law, Jared Kushner, who was convicted of illegal campaign contributions, tax evasion, and witness tampering stemming from hiring a prostitute to lure his brother into a sex trap, filmed, and sent to his wife – a crime deemed "loathsome and disgusting" by Trump ally Chris Christie. Kushner served two years in prison. Ironically, Trump has now nominated Charles Kushner as the US ambassador to France.
On his first day back in office, Trump issued pardons to approximately 1,500 individuals convicted of crimes related to the January 6, 2021 Capitol riots.
Hannity, who recorded the interview in the Oval Office on Wednesday, described it as "amazing."
"He is focused, content, and possesses an ambitious agenda," Hannity remarked of Trump. "He is fully engaged."
