Saudi Press

Saudi Arabia and the world
Sunday, Jun 01, 2025

Biden doesn’t want to launch divisive probes into Trump, aides say — but he won’t be pardoning him either

Biden doesn’t want to launch divisive probes into Trump, aides say — but he won’t be pardoning him either

President-elect walks a fine line between moving forward and ensuring no one is above the rule of law
President-elect Joe Biden does not intend to politicize or intervene in Department of Justice affairs when he assumes the White House, according to a new report, and was not keen to investigate President Donald Trump or his inner circle.

The president-elect would instead be focused on key issues like the coronavirus pandemic and economic recovery efforts, his advisers told NBC News, noting how he “just wants to move on” from the Trump era.

“He’s going to be more oriented toward fixing the problems and moving forward than prosecuting them,” one aide told the news outlet.

However, Mr Biden would still consider authorizing warranted probes into certain actions by his predecessor or the former administration: another adviser said “it’s going to be very situational” when it comes to opening investigations into the Trump administration.

With nine weeks left until Mr Trump is forced out of office regardless of whether he concedes, the incoming Biden administration wanted to “make sure that people don't think there are no ramifications for any of their actions between now and the new presidency,” one source told the news outlet.

Mr Biden has said he does not plan to be involved with his justice department — a traditional relationship shared between the department and the White House that Mr Trump upended with his frequent calls for investigations into his political enemies.

“I will not interfere with the Justice Department's judgment of whether or not they think they should pursue a prosecution” of the former president, Mr Biden told NPR.

He has also suggested that seeking investigations into Mr Trump could prove further divisive, saying it would be a “very, very unusual thing and probably not very, how can I say it? Good for democracy — to be talking about prosecuting former presidents.”

Past presidents have typically imposed a tradition of moving beyond their predecessor’s wrongdoings, with former President Gerald Ford pardoning former President Richard Nixon.

Former President Barack Obama told ABC News in 2009 he wasn’t seeking to probe the wrongdoings of former President George W Bush’s administration, saying: “I don’t believe that anybody is above the law. On the other hand, I also have a belief that we need to look forward, as opposed to looking backwards.”

Mr Biden has pledged not to pardon Mr Trump, however, describing he and Attorney General William Barr’s actions in office as a “dereliction of duty” in a May interview.

The president currently faces a slew of legal battles, tax scrutiny and ongoing investigations involving his family and his companies, with attorneys in New York conducting a fraud investigation into Mr Trump and his business.
Newsletter

Related Articles

Saudi Press
0:00
0:00
Close
OPEC+ Agrees to Increase Oil Output for Third Consecutive Month
Turkey Detains Istanbul Officials Amid Anti-Corruption Crackdown
Meta and Anduril Collaborate on AI-Driven Military Augmented Reality Systems
EU Central Bank Pushes to Replace US Dollar with Euro as World’s Main Currency
European and Arab Ministers Convene in Madrid to Address Gaza Conflict
U.S. Health Secretary Ends Select COVID-19 Vaccine Recommendations
Trump Warns Putin Is 'Playing with Fire' Amid Escalating Ukraine Conflict
India and Pakistan Engage Trump-Linked Lobbyists to Influence U.S. Policy
U.S. Halts New Student Visa Interviews Amid Enhanced Security Measures
Trump Administration Cancels $100 Million in Federal Contracts with Harvard
SpaceX Starship Test Flight Ends in Failure, Mars Mission Timeline Uncertain
King Charles Affirms Canadian Sovereignty Amid U.S. Statehood Pressure
Iranian Revolutionary Guard Founder Warns Against Trusting Regime in Nuclear Talks
UAE Offers Free ChatGPT Plus Subscriptions to Citizens
Lebanon Initiates Plan to Disarm Palestinian Factions
Iran and U.S. Make Limited Progress in Nuclear Talks
The Daily Debate: The Fall of the Dollar — Strategic Reset or Economic Self-Destruction?
Trump Administration's Tariff Policies and Dollar Strategy Spark Global Economic Debate
OpenAI Acquires Jony Ive’s Startup for $6.5 Billion to Build a Revolutionary “Third Core Device”
Turkey Weighs Citizens in Public as Erdoğan Launches National Slimming Campaign
Saudi-Spanish Business Forum Commences in Riyadh
Saudi Arabia and Spain Sign MoU to Boost SME Sectors
UK Suspends Trade Talks with Israel Amid Gaza Offensive
Iran and U.S. Set for Fifth Round of Nuclear Talks Amid Rising Tensions
Russia Expands Military Presence Near Finland Amid Rising Tensions
Indian Scholar Arrested in Crackdown Over Pakistan Conflict Commentary
Israel Eases Gaza Blockade Amid Internal Dispute Over Military Strategy
President Biden’s announcement of advanced prostate cancer sparked public sympathy—but behind closed doors, Democrats are in panic
A Chinese company made solar tiles that look way nicer than regular panels!
Indian jet shootdown: the all-robot legion behind China’s PL-15E missiles
The Chinese Dragon: The True Winner in the India-Pakistan Clash
Australia's Venomous Creatures Contribute to Life-Saving Antivenom Programme
The Spanish Were Right: Long Working Hours Harm Brain Function
Did Former FBI Director Call for Violence Against Trump? Instagram Post Sparks Uproar
US and UAE Partner to Develop Massive AI Data Center Complex
Apple's $95 Million Siri Settlement: Eligible Users Have Until July 2 to File Claims
US and UAE Reach Preliminary Agreement on Nvidia AI Chip Imports
President Trump and Elon Musk Welcomed by Emir of Qatar Sheikh Tamim with Cybertruck Convoy
Strong Warning Issued: Do Not Use General Chatbots for Medical, Legal, or Educational Guidance
Saudi Arabia Emerges as Global Tech Magnet with U.S. Backing and Trump’s Visit
This was President's departure from Saudi Arabia. The Crown Prince personally escorted him back to the airport.
NVIDIA and Saudi Arabia Launch Strategic Partnership to Establish AI Centers
Trump Meets Syrian President Ahmad al-Shara in Historic Encounter
Trump takes a blow torch to the neocons and interventionists while speaking to the Saudis
US and Saudi Arabia Sign Landmark Agreements Across Multiple Sectors
Why Saudi Arabia Rolled Out a Purple Carpet for Donald Trump Instead of Red
Elon Musk Joins Trump Meeting in Saudi Arabia
Trump says it would be 'stupid' not to accept gift of Qatari plane
Quantum Computing Threatens Bitcoin Security
Michael Jordan to Serve as Analyst for NBA Games
×