Biden has signaled the possibility of pardoning some of Trump's opponents

US President Joe Biden said on January 10 that he may preemptively pardon some individuals who have previously criticized US leader-elect Donald Trump before he leaves the White House.

"It depends on some of the expressions and expectations that Trump has aired here in the last couple days about what he's going to do. The idea that he's going to punish people for not complying with what he thinks should be policies related to his well-being is just outrageous," ABC News quoted Biden as saying.

The agency notes that Biden has 10 days remaining in his term as president. It is reported that the issuance of pre-emptive pardons can expand the powers of the head of state.

Cartoon Democracy: Biden pardons Hunter's son in defiance of the law

The outgoing US president's decision was not supported even by fellow party members

On the same day Joe Biden extended the deferral of deportation for 900 thousand immigrants from Venezuela, El Salvador, Sudan and from Ukraine. It is specified that the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) extended registration in the Temporary Protected Status (TPS) program for these countries, granting these immigrants a deferral of deportation and access to work permits for another 18 months.

Earlier on January 7, two death row inmates at the U.S. Correctional Institution in Terre Haute, Indiana, refused a pardon from President Joe Biden. It is noted that the men are trying to appeal court decisions, based on statements about their innocence, and the commutation of the sentence would put them in a "disadvantageous legal position."

It became known on December 23, 2024 that US President Joe Biden commuted the sentence for the prisoners. The White House specified that the sentences will be reclassified to life imprisonment without the possibility of parole. The current head of state believes that the United States at the federal level should stop using the death penalty. The exception in this matter are cases of terrorism and mass killings motivated by hatred.

Earlier, on December 12, it was reported that the U.S. President commuted sentences for 1.5 thousand citizens and pardoned 39 prisoners, which is the largest number for the day among heads of state. He granted pardons to citizens who were positively impacted by imprisonment and released those people who expressed a desire to make society safer.

Biden decided to pardon his son on Dec. 2 in honor of Thanksgiving. Reacting to this, Hunter Biden stated that he intends to dedicate his life to helping people with addictions. In September, Hunter Biden pleaded guilty to nine felony counts of failing to pay taxes, and in June, he pleaded guilty to three felony counts of gun possession.