Biden's advisors cautioned him against granting preemptive pardons before pardoning Fauci and Milley.

Biden issued preemptive pardons to Dr. Fauci, retired Gen. Milley, and their family members, despite warnings from high-profile Democrats and himself earlier in his administration.

In December, on ABC's "This Week," now-Sen. Adam Schiff cautioned against setting a precedent of giving blanket pardons on the way out of an administration, as he believes it is not desirable.

On Monday, Biden concluded his presidency in the Oval Office, paving the way for Trump's swearing-in as the 47th president of the United States. However, hours before the inauguration, the White House made a surprising announcement: pardons for Fauci, Milley, and those involved in the January 6 select committee investigation. Despite not revealing the names of the individuals receiving pardons, the White House stated that they had been granted clemency.

Biden granted pardons to his family members, including his brother James B. Biden, sister Valerie Biden Owens, brother-in-law John T. Owens, and brother Francis W. Biden, just 22 minutes before leaving office. Previously, he had issued a blanket pardon to his adult son, Hunter Biden, after he was convicted in two separate federal cases last year.

Biden's family has been subjected to relentless attacks and threats, driven solely by a desire to harm him, as part of the worst kind of partisan politics. Unfortunately, Biden believes these attacks will not stop.

There were rumors that Biden might grant mass pardons to individuals perceived as political adversaries of Trump, including Liz Cheney, Milley, Fauci, and members of the Biden family.

Politicians from the Democratic party, including former President Bill Clinton and Senator Amy Klobuchar, advised Biden against granting pardons in the final days of his presidency.

"If President Biden wanted to discuss the pardon power with me, I would be happy to discuss it. However, I believe it's not appropriate for me to provide public advice on this matter. It's a highly personal issue, but I hope he will exercise his power responsibly," Clinton stated on "The View."

In an interview on CNN last month, Illinois Democratic Sen. Dick Durbin cautioned against preemptive pardons, asking, "where does it start and where does it stop?"

Klobuchar echoed that sentiment in the same month.

"I don't like preemptive pardons," she said. "I didn't think the pardon of the president's son was prudent. But I'm also concerned about the idea of preemptive pardons."

Biden had cautioned against preemptive pardons prior to his presidency in 2020, amid rumors that Trump might grant clemency to his children and lawyer Rudy Giuliani.

Biden expressed concern in an interview with CNN in December 2020 about the precedent set by the action and how the rest of the world views us as a nation of laws and justice.

Ultimately, Trump did not grant pardons to his adult children or the former mayor of New York City.

The Jan. 6 Select Committee and their staff, as well as their families and political leaders, were pardoned in the 11th hour by Milley, Fauci, and other officials, prompting criticism from various politicians, including Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis.

Biden's greatest abuse of power was forcing mRNA shots through executive fiat, which Florida blocked. Now, on his way out, Biden pardoned the chief henchman of that and many other abuses. The swamp protects its own, said DeSantis, a Republican, on Monday.

As the national spokesperson for the country's pandemic response, Fauci advised then-President Trump on managing COVID-19 during its rapid spread in 2020.

Over time, the president's favor with him decreased, with Trump criticizing him and fellow pandemic task force adviser Dr. Deborah Birx as "two self-promoters trying to rewrite history to cover up their mistakes and poor advice."

Though he has "committed no crime," Fauci expressed gratitude for his pardon on Monday.

Fauci expressed gratitude to President Biden for the action taken on his behalf, as he told ABC News's Jonathan Karl.

Jon, I want to make it clear that I have not committed any crime and there is no basis for any allegation or threat of criminal investigation or prosecution against me.

Trump and his supporters have a contentious relationship with Milley, the former chair of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. Milley had labeled Trump a "fascist" and "the most dangerous person to this country" prior to the November election.

Milley has been criticized by Trump multiple times since leaving office, particularly following the US's withdrawal from Afghanistan in 2021, where he was labeled a "loser who disgraced the country."

Milley appeared to walk back his characterization of Trump as a "fascist" after the election, stating that America will "be OK" under Trump's second administration.

Liz Cheney and Bennie Thompson, both members of the Jan. 6 House Select Committee, were also targets of Trump's ire. Biden did not mention their names in his statement, instead pardoning "staff who served on the Select Committee."

"Biden stated in a White House statement that the issuance of pardons should not be misinterpreted as an admission of guilt or an acknowledgment that any individual engaged in wrongdoing. Instead, it is a recognition of the public servants' dedication to the country."