In the context of the peaceful transfer of power that occurs in this nation every four or eight years, it has been a longstanding tradition for the outgoing president to leave a private letter for their successor. This practice came to light when Fox News Senior White House correspondent Peter Doocy inquired about it during a press conference on Monday evening, which was focused on President Trump’s signing of numerous executive orders in the Oval Office.
“President Trump, did President Biden leave you a letter?” Doocy asked amidst a crowd of reporters present for the signing event.
“He may have,” Trump responded without raising his gaze, subsequently questioning, “Don’t they leave it in the desk?” as he opened the drawer to locate the letter in question.
“Ooooh!” Trump exclaimed upon discovering the letter. “Thank you, Peter. It could have been years before we found this. Thank you.”
Doocy then pressed, “Can you read anything on the outside?” to which Trump playfully replied, “Maybe we should all read it together. Well, maybe I’ll read it first and then make that determination.”
On the same day, President Donald Trump criticized former Republican Representative Liz Cheney after she received a last-minute pardon from former President Joe Biden. While signing several executive orders in the Oval Office, reporters posed questions to Trump regarding various significant issues. Trump had previously issued approximately 1,500 pardons and commuted the sentences of 14 individuals related to the events of January 6, 2021, at the U.S. Capitol.
“I was going to discuss the J6 hostages, but you’ll be pleased because, you know, it’s action, not words that count, and you’re going to see a lot of action on the J6 hostages,” Trump stated.
“I was going to address the actions that Joe took today with the pardons of individuals who were very, very guilty of serious crimes, like the unselect committee of political figures,” he continued, referring to the January 6 panel.
In the final hours of his presidency, Joe Biden granted unprecedented preemptive pardons to former NIAID Director Anthony Fauci, members of the House Jan. 6 committee, and several others. He questioned the rationale behind assisting individuals such as General Milley and Liz Cheney, labeling Cheney as a “disaster” and a “crying lunatic.”
Republicans contended that these pardons indicated an acknowledgment of guilt and characterized the investigation as corrupt. Senator Jim Banks (R-IN) asserted, “This proves they know she’s guilty,” in reference to Cheney, who was among those pardoned by Biden shortly before he left office.
Representative Ralph Norman (R-SC) expressed to the Daily Beast that Biden’s last-minute pardons for the January 6th committee members would permanently tarnish the Biden administration’s legacy, which he described as one of corruption, pay-to-play schemes, and a betrayal of American principles.
Representative Barry Loudermilk (R-GA), who spearheaded the GOP’s counter-investigation into the Jan. 6 committee, described the pardons as a “direct result of our investigation.” Representative Eli Crane (R-AZ) concurred, highlighting the “unlawful, deceitful, and corrupt” actions of those who received pardons.
Biden emphasized the importance of dedicated public servants, stating, “Our nation relies on dedicated, selfless public servants every day. They are the lifeblood of our democracy. Yet alarmingly, public servants have been subjected to ongoing threats and intimidation for faithfully discharging their duties.”
In certain instances, individuals such as General Mark A. Milley, Dr. Anthony S. Fauci, and the members and staff of the Select Committee investigating the January 6th Attack on the United States Capitol have faced threats of criminal prosecution. These public officials have dedicated their careers to serving our nation with integrity and merit, and they should not be subjected to unwarranted and politically driven legal actions, he remarked.
“General Milley has devoted over 40 years to our nation, holding various command and leadership roles and deploying to some of the most perilous regions globally to safeguard democracy. As Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, he adeptly navigated our Armed Forces through intricate global security challenges, reinforcing existing alliances and establishing new ones,” stated Biden.
