Trump blasts Biden over family pardons & insists ex-prez should’ve issued one for himself in first Oval Office interview
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DONALD Trump has slammed Joe Biden's final executive clemency acts and insisted his predecessor should've issued one for himself. In his first sit down interview since returning to office, President Trump discussed Biden's final move as president, where the former commander-in-chief issued pardons for five members of his family.
![[President Trump shaking hands with Sean Hannity in the Oval Office.]](https://www.the-sun.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/6/2025/01/msemail_sc-Gh6xYkVWgAASV9Ijpeg-JS965829920.jpg?strip=all&w=720)
With less than 20 minutes remaining in Biden's presidency, the White House announced the pardons moments before Trump and Vice President JD Vance were set to take the oath of office at the Capitol Rotunda. Biden's clemency actions shielded five of his family members, as well as Dr. Anthony Fauci, General Mark Milley, and former Representative Liz Cheney from political prosecution by Trump, who had previously threatened to go his opponents upon his return to power.
![[Screenshot of Donald Trump's exclusive interview with Sean Hannity on Fox News.]](https://www.the-sun.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/6/2025/01/NINTCHDBPICT000965847101.jpg?strip=all&w=960)
The Biden family members included the former president's sister Valerie Owens and her husband John Owens, brothers Francis Biden, James Biden, and James' wife, Sara Jones. President Trump condemned his predecessor's move after he declined to the same in his final hours in office in 2021.
![[Joe Biden speaking at a farewell ceremony.]](https://www.the-sun.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/6/2025/01/NINTCHDBPICT000965327510.jpg?strip=all&w=960)
"[Biden] heard I was going to do it, I didn't want to do it," Trump told Fox News' Sean Hannity. "I was given the option, they said, 'Sir, would you like to pardon everybody, including yourself?'. "I said, 'I’m not going to pardon anybody. We didn’t do anything wrong.' And we had people that suffered, they’re incredible patriots.
![[Trump interviewed by Hannity in the Oval Office.]](https://www.the-sun.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/6/2025/01/NINTCHDBPICT000965847102.jpg?strip=all&w=960)
