Biden Discusses Pardons and Political Legacy Ahead of Trump Administration

President Biden addresses the possibility of pardons in his final days, focusing on political adversaries and the implications of Trump's return.

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This story was covered by 6 sources. This shows the distribution of these sources: left-leaning (blue), center (gray), and right-leaning (red).

Politics

Mostly Reliable

The underlying sources generally maintain reliability but have, at times, included opinion pieces, propaganda, or minor inaccuracies. While typically factual, there may be occasional editorialization or subjective interpretation.

Balanced

Summary

A summary of the key points of this story, verified by multiple sources.

In his final days as president, Joe Biden asserts he will not pardon himself and considers preemptive pardons for political adversaries of Donald Trump. Biden emphasizes the outrageousness of Trump's rhetoric regarding punishing critics and critiques Meta's decision to end fact-checking as a threat to truth in media. He reflects on his political legacy and reiterates his belief that he could have defeated Trump in the 2024 election. Journalists question Biden about the ongoing investigations and his decisions surrounding pardons during this transitional period.

Informed by:

From the Left

A recap of the main views or arguments shared by left-leaning sources.

Biden's decision to pardon his son, Hunter, is framed as a response to political persecution, indicating that the ongoing investigations are targeted attacks by the GOP.
Biden expresses no intention of pardoning himself, highlighting his innocence and dismissing the legitimacy of GOP allegations against him and his son.
The president's remarks reflect a broader narrative that investigations into Democratic figures, including himself and Hunter, are politically motivated efforts to undermine their credibility.

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From the Right

A recap of the main views or arguments shared by right-leaning sources.

Biden, while under investigation, denies the need to pardon himself, raising questions about the legitimacy of the ongoing House investigation into his family's dealings.
The pardon of Hunter Biden may be seen as an attempt to protect him from serious legal consequences and potentially distract from alleged wrongdoing within the Biden family.
Biden's comments about contemplating pardons for others suggest a strategy to preemptively shield allies from possible prosecutions under a future Trump administration.

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Highlights (6)

Excerpts from the underlying articles that best reflect each outlet's unique perspective on this story.

President Biden said the continued cases against his son were an attempt to punish him led by his political opposition.
"I didn't do anything wrong": Biden says he has "no contemplation" of pardoning himself
Salon
Mostly Reliable
The underlying sources generally maintain reliability but have, at times, included opinion pieces, propaganda, or minor inaccuracies. While typically factual, there may be occasional editorialization or subjective interpretation.
·Left
The idea that he would punish people for not adhering to what he thinks should be policy related to his well-being is just outrageous.
Biden is still considering pardons for people who have been criticized or threatened by Trump
Associated Press
Reliable
The underlying sources consistently report facts with minimal bias. They demonstrate high-quality journalism and accuracy across multiple articles.
·Center
Biden blasted this week's move by Meta Platforms, led by CEO Mark Zuckerberg, to scrap fact-checking programs on Facebook, Instagram and Threads, three of the world's biggest social media platforms with more than 3 billion users globally, ahead of Trump's return to the White House.
President Joe Biden says he won't pardon himself before leaving White House
USA TODAY
Reliable
The underlying sources consistently report facts with minimal bias. They demonstrate high-quality journalism and accuracy across multiple articles.
·Center
Biden has spoken about preemptive pardons with members of his senior team for a number of President-elect Trump critics, like Sen. Adam Schiff (D-Calif.), former Rep. Liz Cheney (R-Wyo.) and former White House chief medical adviser Anthony Fauci.
Biden takes unexpected, impromptu questions from press in final days
The Hill
Reliable
The underlying sources consistently report facts with minimal bias. They demonstrate high-quality journalism and accuracy across multiple articles.
·Center
Despite more than a year of investigations, the GOP-controlled House Oversight Committee never produced any evidence of wrongdoing on the president’s part.
Biden Can’t Believe Reporter Just Asked If He’d Pardon Himself: ‘I Didn’t Do Anything Wrong’
MEDIAite
Mostly Reliable
The underlying sources generally maintain reliability but have, at times, included opinion pieces, propaganda, or minor inaccuracies. While typically factual, there may be occasional editorialization or subjective interpretation.
·Leans Left
Biden, who is set to give a farewell address to the nation at 8 p.m. Wednesday from the Oval Office, said he will still be in the public eye after he leaves office.
Biden Says He Won't Pardon Himself: 'Did Nothing Wrong'
Newsmax
Mixed Reliable
The underlying sources have a mixed track record. They provide accurate information in some cases but are known to inject bias, sensationalism, or incomplete reporting. Read these stories cautiously and cross-check claims when possible.
·Right