Trump criticizes pardoning of Biden family members

According to the new president, his aides advised him to make his inauguration speech less harsh and urged him not to include references to Biden's decision to pardon family members or the planned pardons for several individuals involved in the Capitol riot on January 6, 2021.

However, just a few minutes later, the sitting president seemed to contradict himself, as he told supporters that he only learned about the pardons after he finished his speech.

"Can you believe it? He’s pardoned — you know why he did it while I was speaking? Because that way I couldn’t speak about it. I was speaking, I didn’t know he did it. I finished my speech, and they said, ‘Sir, he pardoned his whole family.’ I said, ‘Oh can I go back out there and talk about it?’" Trump remarked.

The US president added that returning to discuss Biden's action wouldn't be very elegant.

"Our first lady would say, ‘please don’t do that.’ We have plenty of time to talk about it, and we will," the head of the White House concluded.

Biden's pardons executive orders

On Monday, January 20, Joe Biden signed a pardon decree for several members of his family, including two brothers, a sister-in-law, a sister, and a brother-in-law.

The document was signed while Trump was delivering his inauguration speech.

A few hours before the end of his term, Biden also signed a decree granting pardons to several American officials, including former oint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Mark Milley and members of the commission investigating the Capitol riot on January 6, 2021, who were at risk of criminal prosecution.

Meanwhile, the Trump administration plans to carry out cleaning of generals and officers at the Pentagon, particularly targeting those close to Mark Milley.