Mr. Biden emphasized that he did not believe his family did anything wrong, but he feared political attacks by Donald J. Trump.

President Joe Biden issued pardons to several close family members Monday in the final minutes of his presidency.

Former Obama aide David Axelrod lashed out at former President Biden for issuing preemptive pardons for his family members minutes before President Trump was sworn in.

The relatives who were granted clemency in the final minutes of Joseph R. Biden Jr.’s presidency had not been charged with wrongdoing, but some had drawn scrutiny.

RCP's Washington bureau chief Carl Cannon, Monday on the RealClearPolitics podcast, discussed the implications of President Biden pardoning five members of his family on his way out of the White House.

President Joe Biden has issued last minute pardons for five of his family members in one of his last acts as President of the United States.

President Joe Biden on Monday issued preemptive pardons for prominent critics of President-elect Donald Trump and members of his own family, using extraordinary executive prerogative as a shield against revenge by his incoming successor.

President Trump criticized former President Biden for pardoning several members of his family during his last moments as commander in chief. “That makes him look very guilty,” Trump said while speaking to reporters late Monday in the Oval Office as he signed a number of executive orders.

Democratic strategist David Axelrod said Tuesday former President Biden gave “a gift” to President Trump by pardoning his family minutes before the latter’s inauguration. Calling the move “egregious,” Axelrod said Biden should not have done it at the end of his presidency.