Trump Reacts After Fauci Invokes Fifth Amendment 111 Times

While acknowledging the broad constitutional pardon power, Trump questioned whether Biden personally approved the action because of ongoing Republican concerns surrounding the former president’s use of an autopen.

“He probably didn’t sign this one,” Trump said.

“So, I can’t tell you what the law is.”

The president added that he has heard legal arguments suggesting additional documentation could become relevant if questions arise about how pardons were authorized.

“Maybe there’s something on the autopen,” Trump said.

“Other than that, the power of pardon is very powerful.”

Trump’s comments came only hours after Fauci testified before the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee.

During the hearing, Fauci invoked his Fifth Amendment right against self-incrimination 111 times rather than answering questions from Republican lawmakers.

In his opening statement, Fauci argued the hearing was politically motivated and accused committee chairman Sen. Rand Paul of seeking to build a criminal case against him.

“The only conclusion I can reach is that the sole reason he is calling me before this committee is to get me to say something, anything, that could vindicate his repeated public pledges that I end up, in his words, ‘behind bars,’” Fauci said.