Flashback: Biden told CNN he would not issue preemptive pardons before leaving office

In December 2020, CNN anchor Jake Tapper asked Biden if he was concerned about rumors that Trump would dole out a wave of preemptive pardons for some of his closest confidantes.

"Well, it concerns me in terms of what kind of precedent it sets in how the rest of the world looks at us as a nation of laws and justice," he said.

Biden later attempted to distinguish between how he would govern versus the Trump administration.

"You're not going to see in our administration that kind of approach to pardons," Biden said. "Nor are you going to see in our administration the approach to making policy by tweets. You know, it's going to be a totally different way in which we approach the justice system."

Since then, Biden appears to have had a change of heart-issuing a plethora of preemptive pardons on his way out the door.

Biden announced early on Monday that he was issuing preemptive pardons for Dr. Anthony Fauci, retired Gen. Mark Milley and members and staff of the now-defunct House select committee on the Jan. 6 Capitol attack.

Biden had teased the possibility of issuing preemptive pardons weeks ago in an interview with USA Today. At the end of his term, Biden's pardons have proven to be some of his most controversial actions as president, particularly the pardon for his son, Hunter Biden, last month.

Trump, the incoming president, has pardoned political allies like Paul Manafort and Michael Flynn. However, unlike Biden's latest decision, both were charged by the Department of Justice (DOJ) when those pardons were issued.

Fox News' Anders Hagstrom contributed to this report.