Former Obama advisor David Axelrod strongly condemned former President Biden's preemptive pardons for his family members, issued just before President Trump's inauguration. Axelrod, speaking on his podcast "Hacks on Tap," called the move "egregious" and argued that Biden should have taken responsibility instead of issuing pardons "literally as you have one foot out the door." He contended that this action allowed Trump to deflect attention from the January 6th events, as evidenced by Trump's subsequent remarks.

The Biden White House announced the pardons, which covered several family members, shortly before Trump was sworn in. Axelrod questioned the manner in which Biden's presidency concluded, comparing it unfavorably to Trump's exit.

Axelrod's co-host, Mike Murphy, concurred with the criticism of the timing and political implications, describing it as demonstrating a "lack of balls." Murphy, however, suggested that some pardons might have been warranted given alleged threats from Trump. Axelrod reiterated his stance, urging Biden to openly justify any pardons based on such threats.

The pardons encompassed James Biden, Sara Jones Biden, Valerie Biden Owens, John Owens, and Francis Biden. The White House rationale cited the potential for politically motivated investigations against the Biden family. This followed a request by House Oversight Committee Chair James Comer for Trump's Justice Department to investigate James Biden for alleged false statements to Congress.

Axelrod found the method of issuing the pardons "particularly sleazy" and expressed bewilderment at the chosen approach. Trump responded to the pardons by suggesting they implied guilt on Biden's part and set a precedent for future presidents to pardon everyone they know. He rejected the idea, asserting that such actions create an appearance of guilt, weakness, and impropriety.

In 2020, Biden had stated he wouldn't issue preemptive pardons, contrasting his stance with Trump's. Axelrod, on Monday, described Biden's pardons as appearing "tawdry."