You can be sure Trump will follow Biden’s pre-emptive pardons precedent

In his final days in office, President Joe Biden decided to pardon the innocent — people who committed no known crimes — including former Rep. Liz Cheney, R-Wyo., former U.S. Capitol Police Officer Harry Dunn, Dr. Anthony Fauci, Gen. Mark Milley and others.

This unprecedented move by Biden may feel good in the moment, perhaps providing some future protection for those he pardoned against newly inaugurated President Donald Trump’s incessant threats of retribution. But in the long run, Biden’s pardoning the innocent could spark a democracy-damaging cycle of pardons by Trump and presidents to come.