Biden pardons Fauci, Liz Cheney, Mark Milley and members of January 6 committee to protect them from Trump
20 January 2025, 13:01 | Updated: 20 January 2025, 13:11
US President Joe Biden has pardoned Dr Anthony Fauci, retired general Mark Milley and members of the House committee that investigated the January 6 attack on the Capitol, using the extraordinary powers of his office in his final hours to guard against potential "revenge" by the incoming Trump administration.
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The decision by Mr Biden comes after Donald Trump warned of an enemies list filled with those who have crossed him politically or sought to hold him accountable for his attempt to overturn his 2020 election loss and his role in the storming of the US Capitol on January 6 2021.
Mr Trump has selected Cabinet nominees who backed his election lies and who have pledged to punish those involved in efforts to investigate him.
LIVE: Donald Trump's historic comeback as he prepares for inauguration ceremony
Dr Fauci, who helped co-ordinate the nation's response to the Covid-19 pandemic, raised the ire of Mr Trump when he refused to back his unfounded claims.
He has become a target of intense hatred and vitriol from people on the right, who blame him for mask mandates and other policies they believe infringed on their rights, even as tens of thousands of Americans were dying.
Mr Milley is the former chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and called Mr Trump a fascist and detailed Mr Trump's conduct around the January 6 insurrection.
Donald Trump is due to be sworn is as America's 47th President, capping a remarkable comeback after he overcame impeachments, criminal indictments and two assassination attempts to win another term in the White House.
Mr Trump will take charge for his second term as Republicans assume unified control of Washington and set out to reshape the country's institutions.
He is expected to act swiftly after the ceremony, with executive orders already prepared for his signature to jump-start deportations, increase fossil fuel development and reduce civil service protections for government workers.
Mr Trump promises that his second term will bring about "a brand new day of American strength and prosperity, dignity and pride".
Frigid weather is rewriting the pageantry of the day. Mr Trump's swearing-in was moved indoors to the Capitol Rotunda - the first time this has happened in 40 years - and the inaugural parade was replaced by an event at a city arena.
Throngs of Trump supporters who descended on the city to watch the inaugural ceremony on the West Front of the Capitol from the National Mall will be left to find somewhere else to view the festivities.
When Mr Trump takes the oath of office at noon local time (5pm GMT), he will realise a political comeback without precedent in American history.
Four years ago, he was voted out of the White House during an economic collapse caused by the deadly Covid-19 pandemic.
Mr Trump denied his defeat and tried to cling to power. He directed his supporters to march on the Capitol while legislators were certifying the election results, sparking a riot that interrupted the country's tradition of the peaceful transfer of power.
But Mr Trump never lost his grip on the Republican Party, and was undeterred by criminal cases and two assassination attempts as he steamrolled rivals and harnessed voters' exasperation with inflation and illegal immigration.
Now Mr Trump will be the first person convicted of a felony - for falsifying business records related to hush money payments - to serve as President. He will pledge to "preserve, protect and defend" the American Constitution from the same spot that was overrun by his supporters on January 6 2021.
He has said that one of his first acts in office will be to pardon many of those who participated in the riot.
