As he cautioned President-elect Donald Trump against attempting to "settle scores," President Joe Biden stated that he had not decided whether to grant preemptive pardons before he left office, opening the possibility to an unprecedented step to shield some of his associates.

According to several sources, CNN previously reported that senior Biden White House aides, administration officials, and well-known defense lawyers in Washington, DC, are debating possible preemptive pardons or legal assistance for those who Trump might target for prosecution once he regains power.

Biden said that he was open to the concept but had not yet made a decision in an interview with Susan Page of USA Today that was published on Wednesday.

When Page asked Biden if he would grant preemptive pardons to individuals such as Dr. Anthony Fauci and former Representative Liz Cheney of Wyoming, Biden responded, "Well, a little bit of it depends on who he puts in what positions." "If indeed, he," he said, stumbling away.

Shortly after the president-elect's victory in November, Biden claimed to have spoken with Trump in the Oval Office and to have been "very straightforward with him," telling him that "there was no need, and it was counterintuitive for his interest to go back and try to settle scores."

Biden implied that Trump did not provide a definitive answer.

When Page asked Biden if he had made a decision during the interview on Sunday, he replied, "No, I have not."

Amid concerns about the precedent the decision sets for his successors, the president also defended his choice to pardon his son, Hunter Biden.

Referring to his public declarations that he would not pardon his son, Biden told Page, "I meant what I said when I was asked whether I was going to pardon my son."

According to the pardon, Hunter Biden was given clemency last month for the tax and firearm violations from his current cases as well as any possible federal offenses he may have committed "from January 1, 2014 through December 1, 2024."

Since his son "had paid all his taxes," despite the fact that he paid them late, and because "no one's ever been tried" on the issue of a document that is intended to prevent drug addicts from obtaining firearms, which led to his conviction, President Biden claimed he was persuaded to move forward with the pardon.

Trump is criticized for spreading false information.

During the 55-minute farewell interview, Biden made additional explicit and implied criticisms of both his predecessor and successor.

The president voiced his concerns about false information, citing instances in which Trump flagrantly misled the public following two attacks on New Year's Day in New Orleans and Las Vegas that were proven to have been carried out by lone individuals who were both residents of the United States.

But then the president—or soon-to-be president once more—arrives and declares, 'It's obvious. The invasion is coming from the South. All of these issues are being caused by these immigration. And I'll guarantee you that 70% of people read it and think it's true. "How do you handle that?" he inquired.

"It's the nature of the change in the way information is transmitted," Biden went on. And although the man is not known for speaking the truth, he made a statement in light of the extensive investigation conducted by the defense establishment and intelligence community that this would occur and be verified. "No, it's not true," he says.

Additionally, Biden pointed to conservative backing for some important elements and stated that Trump would "have a problem" if he tried to undo some of his greatest legislative achievements.

"How he manages to get rid of these investments is beyond me. Now, I believe he might ruin them by insisting on concentrating on more tax breaks for the rich," he said.

Biden went on to say that "I think he's just going to, you know, hurt himself, hurt the economy" if Trump implements his promised tax cuts and tariffs and scraps initiatives like the infrastructure bill or the climate, health care, and tax package.

"My biggest worry is that he would attempt to repeal the climate law's provisions, and perhaps succeed. "That he'll be successful in lifting the restrictions on pharmaceutical manufacturers," Biden added, bemoaning the possibility of infrastructure project cuts.

Biden continues to think he could have won reelection.

Biden acknowledged that he wasn't sure if he had the stamina to serve another four-year term, but he also stated that he thought he could have been reelected, citing unidentified polling.

I genuinely believed I had the best chance of defeating Trump while he was re-running for office. However, I also had no intention of running for president when I was 85 or 86 years old. I did discuss passing the baton as a result. However, I'm not sure. Who knows? Everything is going OK so far. But when I'm eighty-six, who can predict what I'll be? "I said."

Throughout his presidency, Biden, who is currently 82 years old and the oldest president in US history, was frequently questioned about his age and ability to serve.

When asked what he regrets, Biden mentioned the speed of some of his legislative victories and his inability to claim credit for them. He also bemoaned the dissemination of false information, referencing Trump's remarks regarding the assaults in New Orleans and Las Vegas.

He stated, "I believe that we would have been far better off if we had been able to go much harder at getting some of these projects in the ground sooner."

Biden is scheduled to give a eulogy for former President Jimmy Carter, who passed away on December 29, just before he leaves office. Biden hailed Carter as a “decent man” who “genuinely cared about other people.” Biden maintained a tight friendship with Carter while many of his predecessors avoided him.

He recalled talking about Biden's plans for office and, Biden hinted at, Trump when he visited Carter in Plains, Georgia, early in his presidency.

He added that Carter "was not a big fan of my predecessor and successor," but that he was never overtly nasty about it. However, he was simply incredibly supportive.

Service was the driving force behind Carter's remarkable post-presidential career. Biden stated that no decisions had been made regarding his presidential library or post-presidential representation, despite the fact that he will be leaving office himself in a few days.

In the conversation, Biden also disclosed that he will grow up to be a great-grandfather. Naomi Biden Neal, his granddaughter, is "due to have a cesarean" on Wednesday. Currently, Biden and the first lady are in California, where his granddaughter recently moved, for a national monument designation event that was postponed because of fierce winds and wildfires.