WASHINGTON – In an interview with YSL News, President Joe Biden revealed that he has not yet made a decision on whether to proactively pardon individuals like former Rep. Liz Cheney or health expert Anthony Fauci to shield them from possible investigations by President-elect Donald Trump.

However, Biden emphasized that during their meeting in the Oval Office on November 13, he encouraged Trump not to target specific individuals.

“I tried to express that seeking revenge was unnecessary and not in his best interest,” Biden mentioned in the interview on Sunday.

How did Trump respond? “He didn’t outright reject it, but he also didn’t agree,” Biden noted. “He mainly just listened.”

Biden’s contemplation of pardons stems from Trump’s ongoing threats to investigate anyone who either probed into his actions or obstructed his agenda during his earlier term.

Trump, who faced two federal indictments that were dropped after his election win, has threatened to jail figures like Attorney General Merrick Garland, Deputy Attorney General Lisa Monaco, and special counsel Jack Smith.

While Trump can’t imprison his targets outright, his appointed leaders in the Justice Department and FBI have suggested investigating political adversaries, raising the possibility of indictments and trials.

Trump’s candidate for U.S. attorney general, former Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi, asserted that “the Department of Justice will prosecute the corrupt prosecutors.” Meanwhile, his selection to lead the FBI, former intelligence officer Kash Patel, has indicated a desire to uncover “conspirators” not only within the government but also in the media.

Trump has previously stated to NBC News that all members of the House committee investigating the January 6 Capitol riot, including Cheney, R-Wyo., and Sen. Adam Schiff, D-Calif., should face jail time.

Trump labeled Schiff, who spearheaded Trump’s first impeachment as a House member and was also on the January 6 committee, as “the enemy within.”

Fauci, the former leader of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, often became a target for GOP lawmakers during the U.S. response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Trump has stated he disregarded Fauci’s opinions during his presidency.

Cheney has openly criticized Trump regarding potential federal investigations, branding the claims as “a cowardly and malicious attack on the truth.”

“No credible lawyer, legislator, or judge would take this seriously,” Cheney voiced.

Schiff has warned that granting blanket pardons for unspecified offenses could set a dangerous precedent.

Biden has previously honored Cheney and Rep. Bennie Thompson, D-Miss., the chairs of the House committee that looked into the January 6 incident, by awarding them the Presidential Citizens Medal, the nation’s second-highest civilian accolade.

In his conversation with YSL News, Biden indicated that any decision regarding pardons before his departure from office on January 20 would hinge on the cues Trump provides about his future intentions.

“It somewhat depends on who he appoints to key positions,” Biden remarked.