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By Andrew Stanton
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Dr. Anthony Fauci, former director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, responded to President Joe Biden issuing him a preemptive pardon on Monday.
Why It Matters
Biden issued a flurry of preemptive pardons Monday morning for individuals and officials some Democrats fear could be targeted by Donald Trump's incoming administration, as the president-elect had discussed "retribution" on the campaign trail.
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Pardons covered Fauci, whose handling of the COVID-19 pandemic has drawn calls for his prosecution from some critics, General Mark Milley and former lawmakers who served on the House committee that investigated the January 6, 2021, riot at the United States Capitol.
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What To Know
Fauci responded to the preemptive pardon in a statement reported by CNN's Jim Acosta.
"It feels good and I'm grateful to the president for doing it," he told Acosta. "I have done nothing wrong. Certainly nothing criminal. No grounds at all."
Fauci said the White House told him in December that Biden was considering a preemptive pardon, but that he did not know it was actually happening "until last night," Acosta posted on X, formerly Twitter.
Newsweek reached out to Fauci via Georgetown University for comment.
Concerns about potential retribution from Trump stem from a March 2023 clip of Trump speaking at the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC).
"In 2016, I declared, I am your voice. Today, I am your warrior. I am your justice. And for those who have been wronged and betrayed, I am your retribution," Trump said.
What People Are Saying
President Joe Biden, in a statement announcing the pardon: "For more than half a century, Dr. Fauci served our country. He saved countless lives by managing the government's response to pressing health crises, including HIV/AIDS, as well as the Ebola and Zika viruses. During his tenure as my Chief Medical Advisor, he helped the country tackle a once-in-a-century pandemic. The United States is safer and healthier because of him."
Representative Brendan Boyle, a Pennsylvania Democrat who previously urged Biden to issue preemptive pardons, on X: "As someone who strongly advocated for these pardons, I applaud President Biden for making this bold and righteous decision. These pardons are essential to protecting the public servants and law enforcement who defended our democracy and worked tirelessly to keep us safe."
Meghan McCain, daughter of late Arizona Senator John McCain, on X: "Biden pardoning Fauci just concedes that democrats know Fauci lied to the American public and more than likely committed pretty severe criminal behavior during that time. America will always deserve answers for what he put us through and destroyed during Covid."
What Happens Next
These preemptive pardons are intended to prevent prosecution of Fauci and other recipients when he returns to the White House after his inauguration later on Monday.
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