Just hours before President-elect Donald Trump takes office, President Joe Biden granted immunity to a number of people on Monday through historic preemptive pardons, including former NIAID Director Anthony Fauci and members of the House January 6th committee. Biden clarified that the pardons were required to shield public officials, such as General Mark Milley and Dr. Fauci, who had both distinguished themselves in their national service and had been threatened and criminally prosecuted for carrying out their duties.

Biden stressed in his statement that these people had been the targets of prosecutions and attacks with political motivations. He commended Milley for his leadership during international security threats and Fauci for his decades of experience in handling public health emergencies. Additionally, Biden defended the work of the committee that looked into the Capitol attack on January 6th, pointing out that its members had been falsely accused of crimes and intimidated.

Despite their unwavering dedication to serving the country, Biden stated his belief in the rule of law and contended that the politically charged investigations into these public servants were harming their safety and reputations. He emphasized that the pardons were necessary to shield the unfairly targeted individuals from additional harm.

The pardons represent Biden’s last political moves as his approval ratings are at an all-time low as he gets ready to leave office. Even though his approval rating is only about 37%, Biden is making one last effort to ensure his legacy before leaving the public eye, leaving behind executive orders that might be hard for his successor to undo.