After the pardons were announced, Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia and Sen. Rand Paul of Kentucky — both Republicans — posted to X claiming that issuing pardons to Fauci, Milley and others implied they were guilty of a crime, as did other right-leaning accounts on the platform.

The outgoing president acted to short-circuit incoming President Trump’s stated plans to exact retribution from perceived enemies.

Hours before the 47th president takes the oath, some of his highest-profile foes get pre-emptive protection from prosecution.