High-profile Democrats and former President Biden, himself, warned about blanket, preemptive pardons before Biden ultimately granted passes to Dr. Anthony Fauci, retired Gen. Mark Milley and members of his family in the 11th hour of his administration.

‘The precedent of giving blanket pardons, preemptive blanket pardons on the way out of an administration, I think, is a precedent we don’t want to set,’ now-Sen. Adam Schiff warned on ABC’s ‘This Week’ in December. 

Biden ended his term in the Oval Office on Monday, when President Trump was sworn in as the 47th president of the United States. But hours before the inauguration, the White House announced pardons for both Fauci and Milley and those involved in the January 6 select committee investigation – though those individuals were not identified by name. 

And just 22 minutes before leaving office, Biden also pardoned his family, including his brother James B. Biden, sister Valerie Biden Owens, brother-in-law John T. Owens, and brother Francis W. Biden. The former president had previously issued a blanket pardon to his adult son, Hunter Biden, after he was convicted in two separate federal cases last year.  

‘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 said in a statement pardoning his family. 

Speculation had mounted that Biden would issue blanket pardons and preemptive pardons to those viewed as Trump’s political foes, such as former Wyoming Rep. Liz Cheney, as well as Milley and Fauci and members of the Biden family. 

Democrats stretching from former President Bill Clinton to Sen. Amy Klobuchar, D-Minn., warned Biden against issuing such pardons in the waning days of his administration. 

‘If President Biden wanted to talk to me about that, I would talk to him about it. But I don’t think I should be giving public advice on the pardon power. I think it’s too – it’s a very personal thing, but it is – I hope he won’t do that,’ Clinton said of preemptive pardons on ‘The View.’

Illinois Democratic Sen. Dick Durbin also warned against such pardons in an interview on CNN last month, remarking, ‘when we talk about a preemptive pardon, where does it start and where does it stop?’

Klobuchar echoed that sentiment in the same month. 

‘I am not a fan of these [preemptive pardons],’ she said. ‘I didn’t like the pardon of the president’s son. I didn’t think that that was prudent. But I also am very concerned about this idea of preemptive pardons.’

Biden, too, had warned against preemptive pardons before he took office in 2020, at a time when speculation swirled that Trump would pardon his children and personal lawyer Rudy Giuliani. 

‘It concerns me in terms of what kind of precedent it sets and how the rest of the world looks (at) us as a nation of laws and justice,’ Biden said in an interview with CNN in December 2020. 

Trump ultimately did not pardon his adult children or the former mayor of New York City. 

Following the 11th hour pardons for Milley, Fauci and staff of the Jan. 6 Select Committee and family, political leaders and lawmakers slammed the decision, including Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis. 

‘One of Biden’s greatest abuses of power was the forcing of mRNA shots by executive fiat (which Florida successfully blocked). Now, on his way out the door, Biden pardons the chief henchman of that and so many other abuses. The swamp protects its own,’ said DeSantis, a Republican, on Monday. 

Fauci was the national spokesman for the nation’s pandemic response, including advising then-President Trump in 2020 on how to handle COVID-19 as it swept across communities.

But his favor with the president waned over time, with Trump slamming him and fellow pandemic task force adviser Dr. Deborah Birx as ‘two self-promoters trying to reinvent history to cover for their bad instincts and faulty recommendations.’

Fauci said Monday he appreciates his pardon, though he stressed he has ‘committed no crime.’ 

‘I really truly appreciate the action President Biden has taken today on my behalf,’ Fauci told ABC News chief Washington correspondent Jonathan Karl.

‘Let me be perfectly clear, Jon, I have committed no crime, you know that, and there are no possible grounds for any allegation or threat of criminal investigation or prosecution of me,’ he continued.

Milley, the former chair of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, also has a contentious relationship with Trump and his supporters. He had called Trump a ‘fascist’ and ‘the most dangerous person to this country’ just ahead of the November election. 

Trump has repeatedly slammed Milley since leaving office, including after the United States’ botched withdrawal from Afghanistan in 2021, when he called Milley a ‘loser who shamed us in Afghanistan and elsewhere!’

After the election, Milley appeared to walk back his characterization of Trump as a ‘fascist,’ saying ​​America will ‘be OK’ under Trump’s second administration.

Liz Cheney, the Republican former congresswoman from Wyoming, and Mississippi Democratic Rep. Bennie Thompson, the Jan. 6 House Select Committee chair, were also targets of Trump’s ire. Biden did not mention Cheney or Thompson by name in his statement, instead pardoning ‘staff who served on the Select Committee.’

‘The issuance of these pardons should not be mistaken as an acknowledgment that any individual engaged in any wrongdoing, nor should acceptance be misconstrued as an admission of guilt for any offense,’ Biden said in a White House statement. ‘Our nation owes these public servants a debt of gratitude for their tireless commitment to our country.’ 

Former President Biden issued a preemptive pardon to Gen. Mark Milley on Monday, capping off a presidency marred by the chaotic Afghanistan withdrawal in 2021.

Milley accepted the pardon, saying in a statement he does not want to spend the remainder of his life fighting ‘retribution.’ 

But critics of the withdrawal in Congress say they aren’t done with him. 

‘Mark Milley might be pardoned, but we will continue to explore ways to hold him accountable,’ said Sen. Jim Banks, R-Ind., an Afghanistan veteran.

Post-withdrawal assessments largely question why the military pulled out of the region before civilian evacuations were complete. 

Milley, the former chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, has admitted the withdrawal where 13 U.S. troops lost their lives was a ‘strategic failure.’ 

During a Foreign Affairs Committee hearing in 2024, Milley blamed the State Department for delaying a Noncombatant Evacuation Operations (NEO), or an order to withdraw U.S. civilians working in the country, but praised the military’s actions.

That order did not come until mid-August 2021, just two weeks before the deadline Biden had set to leave the country. 

‘I think that was too slow and too late. And that then caused a series of events that resulted in the very last couple of days. There’s a lot of other mistakes that [were] made along the way… [but] I think that was the key.’ 

‘The U.S. military is responsible for supporting the State Department in a non-combatant evacuation operation, however, the withdrawal of U.S. forces from a combat theater as it relates to an act of war is the responsibility of the Department of Defense, and at the end of the day, we did not leave a residual force behind,’ Alex Pritsas, a former counterterrorism official at the Defense Department, told Fox News Digital. 

Milley said in congressional testimony in June 2021 that the U.S. would not see scenes reminiscent of the fall of Saigon in Vietnam, where U.S. personnel were being airlifted from rooftops.

‘I don’t see Saigon 1975 in Afghanistan. The Taliban just aren’t the North Vietnamese Army.’

Milley’s pardon was part of a group of preemptive pardons that included Anthony Fauci and members of the January 6th Committee. 

‘My family and I are deeply grateful for the President’s action today,’  Milley said in reaction to the pardon. 

He went on: ‘After 43 years of faithful service in uniform to our nation, protecting and defending the Constitution, I do not wish to spend whatever remaining time the Lord grants me fighting those who unjustly might seek retribution for perceived slights. I do not want to put my family, my friends, and those with whom I served through the resulting distraction, expense, and anxiety.’

Jerry Dunleavy, former top investigator on the House Foreign Affairs Committee’s Afghanistan probe, told Fox News Digital of the pardon: ‘Milley wrongly dismissed the obviously correct comparison between the fall of Saigon and the impending fall of Kabul, massively inflated size of the Afghan forces, woefully underestimated the speed and scope of Taliban district control, then pushed fiction that Afghanistan fell in only 11 days.

‘After a disaster where 13 troops were murdered at Abbey Gate and the Taliban regained power, Milley then wrongly predicted Ukraine would fall to the Russians in just three days,’ he added, referring to remarks Milley made in a closed-door briefing with lawmakers. 

Congressional Democrats are balancing efforts to stand tough against President Trump while also pledging to work with him where possible after the Republican commander in chief took office.

It comes as moderate Democrats and Democrats in vulnerable seats have made overtures toward Republicans in areas like border security and transgender youth after the GOP’s commanding victories in the 2024 elections – which the right has widely interpreted as a mandate for a more conservative America.

‘My job is to fight to make life better for Texas families, and I will work with anyone, Democrat or Republican, who is interested in lowering costs, securing our border, and keeping our communities safe,’ freshman Rep. Julie Johnson, D-Texas, who attended the inauguration, said in a statement. 

‘But make no mistake, I will always stand up to President Trump, his administration, division, and far-right extremism when any of those individuals or entities threaten our way of life.’

Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto, D-Nev., who ran tight races in 2016 and 2022 and is expected to do so again in 2028, said in a statement, ‘I look forward to working with the incoming administration to lower prices, create jobs, and keep our communities safe. But make no mistake, if President Trump uses his position to hurt hardworking Nevadans, I will always stand strong to protect them.’

Rep. Jimmy Panetta, D-Calif., took a similar conciliatory tone.

‘There is progress to be made on housing, environmental stewardship, public safety, immigration reform, national security, and more. I will work with anybody and any administration to pursue areas of agreement and aggressively deliver for the people I serve,’ he said.

‘I also firmly believe that our diversity is our strength and our unity is the power to endure and succeed no matter the many challenges that we face. Law-abiding immigrants, the LGBTQ+ community, women, and families recovering from devastating natural disasters are understandably worried by the rhetoric from the campaign trail and potential policies from the Trump Administration.’

Other Democrats were more guarded in their statements, like Rep. Chris Deluzio, D-Pa., who said on X, ‘Today, and always, I root hard for this country of ours, and I wish [President Trump] well as he takes on the responsibility of leading America.’

Progressive Rep. Becca Balint, D-Vt., however, made clear that she would take a more hard-line approach against Trump.

‘Day 1 under Trump. We must face these challenges and attacks with courage and clarity. I’m ready for the work ahead to defend our Constitution and will be working tirelessly to address the urgent needs of Vermonters and working people across America,’ she wrote on X.

Trump was sworn into office for his second term in an inauguration ceremony inside the U.S. Capitol.

WASHINGTON, D.C. — President Trump said a ‘tide of change is sweeping the country,’striking an optimistic note as he told Americans during his inaugural address Monday that the U.S. is beginning a ‘new era of national success,’ while declaring that the country’s ‘decline is over.’

Trump addressed the nation on Monday after taking the oath of office for the second time and being sworn in as the 47th President of the United States. 

‘In recent years, our nation has suffered greatly. But we are going to bring it back and make it great again, greater than ever before. We will be a nation like no other, full of compassion, courage and exceptionalism. Our power will stop all wars and bring a new spirit of unity to a world that has been angry, violent, and totally unpredictable. America will be respected again and admired again, including by people of religion, faith, and goodwill,’ he said.

‘We will be prosperous, we will be proud, we will be strong, and we will win like never before. We will not be conquered. We will not be intimidated. We will not be broken, and we will not fail,’ he said. ‘From this day on, the United States of America will be a free, sovereign and independent nation. We will stand bravely. We will live proudly. We will dream boldly, and nothing will stand in our way. Because we are Americans. Their future is ours, and our golden age has just begun.’

‘During every single day of the Trump administration, I will very simply put America first,’ Trump said. 

Trump vowed that U.S. ‘sovereignty will be reclaimed, our safety will be restored. The scales of justice will be rebalanced. The vicious, violent and unfair weaponization of the Justice Department and our government will end. And our top priority will be to create a nation that is proud, prosperous and free.’ 

Trump promised that he would not use the government to go after political opponents, saying it was something he knew something about, a reference to his claims of persecution by the Biden administration.

‘My recent election is a mandate to completely and totally reverse a horrible betrayal and all of these many betrayals that have taken place, and to give the people back their faith, their wealth, their democracy, and indeed their freedom from this moment on, America’s decline is over,’ Trump said. 

The president delivered his remarks from the Capitol Rotunda Monday due to an arctic blast that hit the nation’s capital, with frigid temperatures forcing the inaugural ceremonies to be moved indoors for the first time in four decades. He hammered the Biden administration, despite former President Joe Biden and former President Kamala Harris sitting just behind him.

‘As we gather today, our government confronts a crisis of trust. For many years, a radical and corrupt establishment has extracted power and wealth from our citizens. While the pillars of our society lay broken and seemingly in complete disrepair, we now have a government that cannot manage even a simple crisis at home. While at the same time stumbling into a continuing catalog of catastrophic events abroad. It fails to protect our magnificent, law-abiding criminals, many from prisons and mental institutions that have illegally entered our country from all over the world,’ he said.

He drew some of the loudest applause by saying that it will now be the official policy of the U.S. to only recognize two genders: male and female.

Trump, who won the Electoral College and popular vote, defeated Harris in a landslide. Trump was running against then-President Joe Biden, who was seeking re-election, until July 2024. But after the two debated for the first time, and after a disastrous performance by Biden, the incumbent was pressured by Democrat insiders to suspend his presidential bid. 

Biden made the announcement in a social media post and endorsed Harris to be the Democratic presidential nominee in his place, moving his vice president to the top of the ticket. 

The decision for Biden to drop out of the race came just days after the Republican National Convention (RNC) finished, and after Trump and his running mate, Sen. JD Vance, R-Ohio, formally accepted the GOP nomination. 

But Trump, just days before accepting the Republican nomination, survived an assassination attempt at a rally on July 13 in Butler, Pennsylvania. During the event, Trump was showing off a chart highlighting how illegal immigration skyrocketed under the Biden-Harris administration. As he turned toward the chart, he was hit by a bullet that pierced the upper part of his right ear by the now-deceased would-be-assassin, Thomas Matthew Crooks. 

Weeks later, in September, another would-be-assassin hid himself in the bushes at Trump International Golf Course in West Palm Beach, Florida. The gunman, Ryan Wesley Routh, had an AK-47-style rifle pointing through the fence toward Trump as he was golfing. Trump was rushed off the golf course by U.S. Secret Service agents, unharmed.

Trump reflected on his near-death experience, and his unprecedented trials and legal battles throughout the 2024 campaign cycle. 

‘Over the past eight years, I have been tested and challenged more than any president in our 250-year history, and I’ve learned a lot along the way. The journey to reclaim our republic has not been an easy one, and that I can tell you. Those who wish to stop our cause have tried to take my freedom and indeed to take my life,’ Trump said. ‘Just a few months ago, in a beautiful Pennsylvania field, an assassin’s bullet ripped through my ear.’ 

He added: ‘But I felt then and believe even more so now, that my life was saved for a reason. I was saved by God to make America great again.’ 

Trump, on his first day in office, is expected to take more than 200 executive actions – a massive, first wave of policy priorities focused on border security, energy, reducing the cost of living for American families, ending DEI programs across the federal government, and more, Fox News Digital exclusively reported. 

Trump said he will also deliver on his campaign promise to roll back the policies of his predecessor on his first day in office. Trump will end ‘catch and release’; pause all offshore wind leases; terminate the electric vehicle mandate; abolish the Green New Deal; withdraw from the Paris climate accord; and take several major steps to assert presidential control over the federal bureaucracy. 

‘Today, I will sign a series of historic executive orders. With these actions, we will begin the complete restoration of America and the revolution of common sense. It’s all about common sense,’ Trump said on Monday.

The White House’s official website now lists Donald Trump as President and JD Vance as Vice President, declaring ‘America is Back.’ 

Pages detailing the work of ‘The Biden-Harris Administration’ were removed just moments after both Trump and Vance took the oath of office Monday.

Those who visit Whitehouse.gov are greeted with an image of Trump and the message ‘America is Back.’ 

‘Every single day I will be fighting for you with every breath in my body. I will not rest until we have delivered the strong, safe and prosperous America that our children deserve and that you deserve. This will truly be the golden age of America,’ it says under the message, followed by Trump’s signature. 

The updated administration section says ‘After a landslide election victory in 2024, President Donald J. Trump is returning to the White House to build upon his previous successes and use his mandate to reject the extremist policies of the radical left while providing tangible quality of life improvements for the American people.’ 

Next to JD Vance’s name, it says ‘In 2024, President Donald J. Trump extended JD the incredible honor of asking him to serve as the Vice-Presidential Nominee for the Republican Party. JD looks forward to serving with President Trump over the next four years as they work diligently to Make America Great Again.’

The website also has biographies of Melania Trump and Usha Vance, the First Lady and the Second Lady of the United States, and Trump’s cabinet.

In the ‘Issues’ section, the administration lists six priorities: End inflation and lower costs, tax cuts for American workers, secure America’s borders, restore peace through strength, American energy dominance and to make American cities safe again. 

WASHINGTON, D.C.— Donald Trump was sworn in as the 47th president of the United States on Monday, marking his return to the Oval Office with a pledge to restore America to a ‘golden age.’

Trump addressed the nation after taking the oath of office for the second time and is expected to use his inaugural address remarks to call for a ‘revolution of common sense.’ 

‘I return to the presidency confident and optimistic that we are at the start of a thrilling new era of national success. A tide of change is sweeping the country,’ Trump will say. ‘My message to Americans today is that it is time for us to once again act with courage, vigor, and the vitality of history’s greatest civilization.’

The president will deliver his remarks from the Capitol Rotunda Monday due to an arctic blast that hit the nation’s capital, with frigid temperatures forcing the inaugural ceremonies to be moved indoors for the first time in four decades. 

Trump, who won the Electoral College and popular vote, defeating now-former Vice President Kamala Harris in a landslide, has vowed that his second administration will bring ‘the golden age of America.’ 

Trump was running against President Biden, who was seeking re-election, until July 2024. But after the two debated for the first time, and after a disastrous performance by Biden, the incumbent was pressured by Democrat insiders to suspend his presidential bid. 

Biden made the announcement in a social media post and endorsed Harris to be the Democratic presidential nominee in his place, moving his vice president to the top of the ticket. 

The decision for Biden to drop out of the race came just days after the Republican National Convention (RNC) finished, and after Trump and his running mate, Sen. JD Vance, R-Ohio, formally accepted the GOP nomination. 

But Trump, just days before accepting the Republican nomination, survived an assassination attempt at a rally on July 13 in Butler, Pennsylvania. During the event, Trump was showing off a chart highlighting how illegal immigration skyrocketed under the Biden-Harris administration. As he turned toward the chart, he was hit by a bullet that pierced the upper part of his right ear by the now-deceased would-be-assassin, Thomas Matthew Crooks. Trump credits the chart for saving his life. 

But weeks later, in September, another would-be-assassin hid himself in the bushes at Trump International Golf Course in West Palm Beach, Florida. The gunman, Ryan Wesley Routh, had an AK-47-style rifle pointing through the fence toward Trump as he was golfing. Trump was rushed off the golf course by U.S. Secret Service agents unharmed.

Trump, on his first day in office, is expected to take more than 200 executive actions – a massive, first wave of policy priorities focused on border security, energy, reducing the cost of living for American families, ending DEI programs across the federal government, and more, Fox News Digital exclusively reported. 

Trump will also deliver on his campaign promise to roll back policies from his predecessor’s administration on his first day in office. Trump will end ‘catch and release,’ pause all offshore wind leases; terminate the electric vehicle mandate; abolish the Green New Deal; withdraw from the Paris climate accord; and take several major steps to assert presidential control over the federal bureaucracy. 

Former President Barack Obama arrived at the U.S. Capitol on Monday for President-elect Trump’s inauguration ceremony without former First Lady Michelle Obama.

Obama was introduced at the ceremony and walked into the swearing-in ceremony inside the Capitol alone. The ceremony was moved indoors due to the intense cold.

Former Presidents Bill Clinton and George W. Bush arrived alongside their spouses, former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and former first lady Laura Bush.

Michelle Obama’s absence from the inauguration came as no surprise, since the Obamas released a statement last week announcing that while the former president would be in attendance, the former first lady would not be in attendance.

The Obamas’ statement did not provide a reason as to why the former first lady was skipping the event. Michelle Obama also skipped former President Jimmy Carter’s funeral earlier this month.

A notable moment at Carter’s funeral came when Obama and Trump, who were seated next to each other, were seen chatting and laughing like old friends despite the history of political animosity between the Democratic former president and the returning Republican.

All three former presidents and their wives attended Trump’s first inauguration in 2017, including Hillary Clinton, after she lost the 2016 presidential election to Trump. Carter also attended.

Trump and former first lady Melania Trump did not attend President Biden’s inauguration in 2021.

Fox News Digital’s Michael Dorgan and The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Israeli President Isaac Herzog is praising Donald Trump on Inauguration Day, calling him a ‘true friend’ of the country and thanking him for his efforts to secure the release of hostages from Hamas. 

‘On behalf of the people of Israel, I send my heartfelt congratulations to you, President Donald Trump on your inauguration as the 47th POTUS,’ Herzog wrote on X. 

‘You are a true friend of Israel. Thank you for your unwavering commitment to Israel’s security and to building a better future for our region. A special thank you for your commitment to bringing all our hostages home,’ he continued. 

‘We wish you and your administration great success in your service to the American people. Good luck!’ Herzog added. 

The comments come a day after Hamas released to Israel three hostages it has been holding in captivity for nearly 500 days, as part of a cease-fire and hostage release agreement. 

In exchange, Israel released 90 Palestinian prisoners in the West Bank. 

‘Let’s face it, the fact that President Trump had a clear message, ‘By my inauguration, I want to see hostages coming out, or else there will be hell to pay,’ made a huge impact in the Middle East, and we are hopeful that with his leadership, we’re going to see all 98 hostages coming out starting today with the three female hostages,’ Ronen Neutra, whose son Omer was killed by Hamas terrorists, told Fox News on Sunday. 

Trump said last week, ‘This EPIC cease-fire agreement could have only happened as a result of our Historic Victory in November, as it signaled to the entire World that my Administration would seek Peace and negotiate deals to ensure the safety of all Americans, and our Allies.  

‘I am thrilled American and Israeli hostages will be returning home to be reunited with their families and loved ones,’ he had written on Truth Social. 

Fox News’ Taylor Penley contributed to this report. 

President Biden pardoned his siblings just minutes before leaving office on Monday.

The pardon applies to James Biden, Sara Jones Biden, Valerie Biden Owens, John Owens, and Francis Biden, the White House announced. The president argues that his family could be subject to ‘politically motivated investigations’ after he leaves office.

‘I believe in the rule of law, and 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,’ Biden said in a statement.

‘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,’ Biden added.

The pardons come after House Oversight Committee Chair James Comer requested that Trump’s Justice Department investigate and prosecute James Biden for allegedly making false statements to Congress.

House Republicans in June sent criminal referrals for James Biden and Hunter Biden to the Justice Department recommending they be charged with making false statements to Congress about ‘key aspects’ of the impeachment inquiry of President Biden.

Biden issued another wave of pre-emptive pardons earlier Monday morning, those going to Dr. Anthony Fauci, Gen. Mark Milley and people associated with the House select committee investigation into January 6.

Biden had teased the possibility of issuing pre-emptive pardons weeks ago in an interview with USA Today. Biden’s pardons at the end of his term have proven to be some of his most controversial actions as president, particularly the pardon for his son, Hunter Biden.

Biden had repeatedly vowed that he would not intervene on his son’s behalf, but he issued a blanket pardon regardless. The president later claimed that he had broken the promise after finding out Hunter had paid his back taxes.

Biden’s pardon of Hunter was defended in some corners as a natural move from someone protecting his own family, but many prominent figures derided it as a craven flip-flop that would damage the White House and the president’s legacy.

‘Everyone looks stupid,’ Pod Save America co-host and ex-Obama aide Tommy Vietor said at the time. ‘Everyone looks like they are full of s—. And Republicans are going to use this to argue it was politics as usual when Democrats warned of Trump’s corruption or threat to the rule or the threat to democracy.’

This is a developing story. Check back soon for updates.