President Biden is commuting the sentences of nearly all the inmates on federal death row, a move that comes not even two weeks after he went through with the "largest single-day grant of clemency" in American history, the White House announced Monday.

Of the 40 inmates on federal death row, according to DeathPenaltyInfo.org, Biden is commuting 37 men sentenced to death, reclassifying their sentences to life without the possibility of parole.

The three inmates not included are: Robert Bowers, who is responsible for the mass shooting at the Tree of Life Synagogue in 2018, which left 11 people dead; Dylann Roof, a White supremacist who killed nine Black parishioners at Emanuel AME Church in Charleston, South Carolina, in 2015; and Dzhokhar Tsarnaev, who worked with his now-dead brother to perpetuate the 2013 Boston Marathon bombing that killed three people and injured hundreds.

BIDEN SETS RECORD WITH FIRST-TERM CLEMENCY GRANTS, HERE'S HOW OTHER PRESIDENTS RANK

The men being resentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole are convicted of various murderous acts against one person or multiple. Among the victims of the 37 men are law enforcement officers, children and other inmates.

A handful of the men on death row were also set to be executed with their co-defendants.

Biden, who only supports the death penalty at the federal level for "terrorism and hate-motivated mass murder," said this move will prevent President-elect Donald Trump's administration from "carrying out the execution sentences that would not be handed down under current policy and practice," according to the White House statement.

The president declared a moratorium on federal executions after taking office in 2021.

TRUMP EXECUTION RESTART TO PUT BOSTON MARATHON BOMBER, CHARLESTON CHURCH SHOOTER, MORE KILLERS IN HOT SEAT

The convicted murderers who will now escape execution include: Marcivicci Barnette, who killed a man in a carjacking and his ex-girlfriend; co-defendants Brandon Basham and Chadrick Fulks, who kidnapped and killed a woman after escaping prison; Anthony Battle, who killed a prison guard; Jason Brown, who stabbed a postal worker to death; Thomas Hager, who committed a drug-related killing; David Runyon, who participated in the murder-for-hire plot of a Naval officer; Thomas Sanders, who kidnapped and killed a 12-year-old girl; Rejon Taylor, who carjacked, kidnapped and killed a restaurant owner; and Alejandro Umana, who killed two brothers inside a restaurant.

Two men were on death row for the murders of witnesses: police officer Len Davis, who ordered the murder of a witness who was part of an investigation into a misconduct complaint against him, and Ronald Mikos, who killed a federal grand jury witness in a Medicare fraud investigation.

Ex-Marine Jorge Torrez was set to be executed for killing another servicemember.

The list also includes men who committed deadly bank robberies, such as co-defendants Billie Allen and Norris Holder, who killed a bank guard during their crime; Brandon Council, who killed two bank employees; and Daryl Lawrence, who killed a special-duty police officer during an attempted bank robbery.

BIDEN COMMUTES 1,500 JAIL SENTENCES, GRANTS PARDONS FOR 39 OTHERS: 'LARGEST SINGLE-DAY GRANT OF CLEMENCY'

Co-defendants James Roane, Jr., and Richard Tipton committed a series of drug-related murders as gang members with Corey Johnson, who was executed in 2021. 

Julius Robinson killed two people over drugs, and so did co-defendants Ricardo Sanchez, Jr., and Daniel Troya, who killed a family, including two children.

Drug lord Kaboni Savage murdered or directed someone else to murder 12 people during a 16-year period – including an arson that killed six members of a federal informant's family.

Edward Fields was on death row for murdering two campers on federal land, while Marvin Gabrion and Richard Jackson were both there for killing a woman on federal land in separate cases.

Co-defendants Jurijus Kadamovas and Iouri Mikhel were convicted of kidnapping and killing five Russian and Georgian immigrants for ransom.

Lastly, the following men were sentenced to death in various cases for killing a prisoner in federal prison: Shannon Agofsky, Carlos Caro, co-defendants Wesley Coonce and Charles Hall, co-defendants Christopher Cramer and Ricky Fackrell, Joseph Ebron and co-defendants Edgar Garcia and Mark Snarr.

Monday's commutations join Biden's list of similar moves during his presidency, which have sparked mixed reactions from lawmakers on both sides of the aisle and have outpaced any president in modern history when compared to length of service.

Biden faced criticism earlier this month when he commuted the sentences of nearly 1,500 prisoners placed in home confinement during the COVID-19 pandemic and pardoned 40 others, including his son, Hunter.

As of Dec. 13, Biden has pardoned a total of 65 individuals and commuted sentences for 1,634 inmates during his time as president, according to the Department of Justice.

"The President has issued more sentence commutations at this point in his presidency than any of his recent predecessors at the same point in their first terms," White House officials said in a previous statement.

PRO-TRUMP PRISON WARDEN ASKS BIDEN TO COMMUTE ALL DEATH SENTENCES BEFORE LEAVING

Various groups and people, including former corrections officials, praised Biden's decision ahead of the public announcement, calling him "courageous" and thanking him for sending a "strong message."

Biden was urged by 28 former corrections officials in a letter to commute sentences on federal death row for the safety of federal correctional professionals who participate in executions.

"President Biden has made a courageous decision that will benefit many within the federal Bureau of Prisons. Resources can be allocated more rationally, and staff will not face the harm of participating in executions any time soon. I hope state leaders follow suit, for the benefit of their own correctional staff," said Justin Jones, the former Director of the Oklahoma Department of Corrections.

Bryan Stevenson, founder and executive director of the Equal Justice Initiative, was also among those who issued a statement, saying, in part, that this decision "marks an important turning point" and sends a "strong message to Americans that the death penalty is not the answer to our country's concerns about public safety."

CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP

Biden said he does condemn the murderers and their "despicable acts," and he grieves for the victims and families who have suffered "unimaginable and irreparable loss," but he "cannot stand back and let a new administration resume executions that I halted," according to the White House statement.

It also said Biden will use the last few weeks of his presidency to "provide meaningful second chances" and "review additional pardons and commutations."

President-elect Donald Trump unleashed a slew of nominations on Sunday night, naming several new people to serve in his forthcoming administration.

In several Truth Social posts on Sunday, Trump introduced various experts to work in the White House on issues ranging from defense to technology to budgeting. The Republican leader began by naming Stephen Alexander Vaden as his nominee for deputy secretary of the Department of Agriculture.

"In my First Term, Stephen was the General Counsel of the Department of Agriculture, and a Member of the Board of the Commodity Credit Corporation, where he won two cases before the United States Supreme Court, relocated and reorganized the Agencies that comprise the Department to better serve Rural America, and engaged in substantial regulatory reform," Trump wrote in a post. 

"Stephen joined the USDA on Day One of my First Term, and left in December 2020 after I nominated him, and the U.S. Senate confirmed him, to continue to serve the American People as an Article III Judge on the Court of International Trade," he added. "Judge Stephen Vaden resides in Union City, Tennessee, where he helps manage his family farm. Congratulations Stephen!"

TRUMP NOMINATES PAIR TO HELP LEAD DOJ, ANNOUNCES FEDERAL RAILROAD ADMINISTRATION PICK

Trump followed up his first post by naming a "slate of America First Patriots" to work with Pete Hegseth, his nominee for secretary of defense and a former "Fox & Friends Weekend" co-host. Trump nominated Stephen Feinberg as the next deputy secretary of defense, and said Feinberg would "Help Make the Pentagon Great Again."

"An extremely successful businessman, Stephen is a Princeton graduate, who founded his company, Cerberus, in 1992," Trump wrote. "In addition to his leadership at Cerberus, from 2018 to January 2021, Stephen served as Chairman of my Intelligence Advisory Board."

The president-elect went on to name Elbridge "Bridge" Colby as his pick for under secretary of defense for policy.

"A highly respected advocate for our America First foreign and defense policy, Bridge will work closely with my outstanding Secretary of Defense Nominee, Pete Hegseth, to restore our Military power, and achieve my policy of PEACE THROUGH STRENGTH," Trump said, noting that Colby graduated from Harvard University and Yale Law School. 

"Bridge served with distinction in the Pentagon in my First Term, leading the effort on my landmark 2018 Defense strategy…and will make an excellent addition to my team, who will, Make America Great Again!"

Trump then named Michael Duffey and Emil Michael as his picks for under secretary of defense for acquisition and sustainment, and undersecretary of defense for research and engineering, respectively.

"Mike will drive change at the Pentagon and, as a staunch proponent of an America First approach to our National Defense, will work to revitalize our Defense Industrial Base, and rebuild our Military," Trump said of Duffey.

Trump added that Emil Michael would "ensure that our Military has the most technologically sophisticated weapons in the World, while saving A LOT of money for our Taxpayers."

GET TO KNOW DONALD TRUMP'S CABINET: WHO HAS THE PRESIDENT-ELECT PICKED SO FAR?

"Emil is a graduate of Harvard University, and has a Law degree from Stanford," Trump wrote. "He is a one of the most respected leaders in the Tech business, and will be a champion for the Troops, and our Great Country."

For his next defense-related picks, Trump announced Keith Bass as his nominee for assistant secretary of defense for health affairs, and that Joe Kasper would serve as chief of staff for the secretary of defense. Kasper worked in the first Trump administration in support roles, in addition to Capitol Hill. 

Bass, a retired Navy commander, would be "leading the charge to ensure our Troops are healthy, and receiving the best Medical Care possible," Trump said. 

Next, Trump announced Scott Kupor as his pick for the director of the Office of Personnel Management. Trump noted that Kupor was the first employee at Andreessen Horowitz, a venture capital firm where he is now a managing partner.

"Scott will bring much needed reform to our federal workforce. Scott graduated Phi Beta Kappa from Stanford University, with a bachelor’s degree in Public Policy," Trump wrote. "He also holds a Law degree, with distinction, from Stanford University. Congratulations Scott!"

In his final bundle of nominations, the Republican president-elect announced his picks for tech-related roles. Trump began by naming Michael J.K. Kratsios as his new director of the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy.

Kratsios, who will also serve as an assistant to the president for science and technology, holds a degree from Princeton University. Trump noted that he previously served as an under secretary of defense for research & engineering at the Pentagon, among other roles.

LAWMAKERS REACT TO STOPGAP FUNDING AND AVERTING GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN

Trump added that Dr. Lynne Parker will serve as executive director of the President's Council of Advisors on Science and Technology, and counselor to the director of the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy. 

"Dr. Parker previously served as Deputy U.S. CTO, and Founding Director of the National Artificial Intelligence Initiative Office," Trump said. "She received her PhD in Computer Science from MIT."

Trump's last two picks were Bo Hines and Sriram Krishnan. Hines will be the executive director of the Presidential Council of Advisers for Digital Assets, which Trump described as a "a new advisory group composed of luminaries from the Crypto industry."

"In his new role, Bo will work with David to foster innovation and growth in the digital assets space, while ensuring industry leaders have the resources they need to succeed," Trump wrote, adding that Krishnan will serve as senior policy advisor for artificial intelligence at the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy.

"Working closely with David Sacks, Sriram will focus on ensuring continued American leadership in A.I., and help shape and coordinate A.I. policy across Government, including working with the President’s Council of Advisors on Science and Technology," Trump wrote. "Sriram started his career at Microsoft as a founding member of Windows Azure."

President-elect Trump on Sunday named Callista Gingrich, wife to former Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich, as one of his latest U.S. ambassador nominees.

Writing on Truth Social, Trump wrote that he picked Gingrich to serve as U.S. ambassador to Switzerland, citing her previous ambassadorial experience in his first administration. Gingrich, and the other ambassador nominees, will need to be confirmed by the U.S. Senate.

"Happily married to the Great Newt Gingrich, Callista previously served, with distinction, as my Ambassador to the Holy See," Trump's post read. "During her tenure, Callista worked to advance and defend international religious freedom, combat human trafficking, and provide humanitarian assistance around the World."

"Callista graduated, with honors, from Luther College in Decorah, Iowa, with a Bachelor of Arts in Music in 1988," the Republican leader added. "Congratulations!"

TRUMP NOMINATES PAIR TO HELP LEAD DOJ, ANNOUNCES FEDERAL RAILROAD ADMINISTRATION PICK

Trump later wrote that he has nominated Mauricio Claver-Carone as a U.S. special envoy for Latin America. Special envoy positions are different from ambassador roles, as they are shorter and typically meant to fulfill a specific mission.

Trump cited "chaos and anarchy" at the U.S. southern border in his announcement about Claver-Carone.

"It is time to restore order in our own hemisphere," Trump wrote. "Mauricio knows the region, and how to put America’s interests FIRST."

GET TO KNOW DONALD TRUMP'S CABINET: WHO HAS THE PRESIDENT-ELECT PICKED SO FAR?

"He also knows the dire threats we face from illegal mass migration and fentanyl," he added. "As the State Department’s Special Envoy, Mauricio will work tirelessly to protect the American People."

In a third post, Trump named Ken Howery, a co-founder of PayPal, as his pick for U.S. ambassador to the Kingdom of Denmark. Howery previously served as a U.S. ambassador to Sweden, and Trump wrote that he "served our National brilliantly" in that role.

"As a Co-Founder of PayPal and venture capital fund, Founders Fund, Ken turned American Innovation and Tech leadership into Global success stories, and that experience will be invaluable in representing us abroad," Trump explained. "For purposes of National Security and Freedom throughout the World, the United States of America feels that the ownership and control of Greenland is an absolute necessity…Thank you Ken, and congratulations!"

President-elect Trump dropped his latest round of nominations Saturday afternoon, including two picks to help lead the Department of Justice (DOJ) and one to work within the Department of Transportation (DOT).

In a Truth Social post, the president-elect announced he was nominating Aaron Reitz to lead the DOJ's Office of Legal Policy. Trump wrote that Reitz would "develop and implement DOJ’s battle plans to advance my Law and Order Agenda, and restore integrity to our Justice System.

"Aaron is currently Senator Ted Cruz’s Chief of Staff, and was previously Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton’s Deputy, where he led dozens of successful lawsuits against the lawless and crooked Biden Administration," Trump continued, adding Reitz would work closely with Trump's pick for U.S. attorney general, Pam Bondi.
 
"Aaron is a true MAGA attorney, a warrior for our Constitution, and will do an outstanding job at DOJ. Congratulations Aaron!"

TIDE TURNS FOR HEGSETH AS TRUMP'S DEFENSE SECRETARY NOMINEE GOES ON OFFENSE

Trump followed up his first announcement by naming Chad Mizelle as the next chief of staff at the DOJ, who is also slated to work with Bondi. 

"During my First Term, Chad was General Counsel and Chief of Staff at the Department of Homeland Security, where he helped to secure our Border, and stop the flow of illegal drugs and aliens into our Country," the Republican leader explained. 

"Chad is a MAGA warrior, who will help bring accountability, integrity, and Justice back to the DOJ."

GET TO KNOW DONALD TRUMP'S CABINET: WHO HAS THE PRESIDENT-ELECT PICKED SO FAR?

In a third post, Trump named David Fink as the next administrator of the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA), describing his nominee as a "fifth generation Railroader."

"David will bring his 45+ years of transportation leadership and success, which will deliver the FRA into a new era of safety and technological innovation," Trump said. "Under David’s guidance, the Federal Railroad Administration will be GREAT again. Congratulations to David!"

Later on Saturday, Trump announced that he was nominating Tilman J. Fertitta, the owner of the Houston Rockets, to serve as the U.S. Ambassador to Italy.

"Tilman is an accomplished businessman, who has founded and built one of our Country’s premier entertainment and real estate companies, employing approximately 50,000 Americans," Trump's post described. "Tilman has a long history of giving back to the community through numerous philanthropic initiatives, which include children’s charities, Law Enforcement, and the medical community."

President-elect Trump announced Saturday he has tapped the creator of "The Apprentice" to serve a diplomatic role in the United Kingdom.

In a Truth Social post, Trump named Mark Burnett, a British-American TV producer who was born in London, as the next U.S. special envoy to the United Kingdom.

"It is my great honor to appoint Mark Burnett as the Special Envoy to the United Kingdom," the president-elect said. "With a distinguished career in television production and business, Mark brings a unique blend of diplomatic acumen and international recognition to this important role."

In addition to creating Trump's former show "The Apprentice," Burnett also created "Shark Tank" and led production of other programs such as "Survivor" and "The Martha Stewart Show." In his Truth Social post, Trump said the producer had created some of the "biggest shows in Television History" and touted his achievements.

TRUMP NOMINATES PAIR TO HELP LEAD DOJ, ANNOUNCES FEDERAL RAILROAD ADMINISTRATION PICK

"He is the former Chairman of MGM, and has won 13 Emmy Awards!" the Republican wrote. "Mark will work to enhance diplomatic relations, focusing on areas of mutual interest, including trade, investment opportunities, and cultural exchanges. Congratulations Mark!"

No one is currently serving as a U.S. special envoy to the United Kingdom. Special envoy roles are typically temporary in nature and meant to fulfill a specific mission, though Trump did not specify the purpose of the role in his announcement.

GET TO KNOW DONALD TRUMP'S CABINET: WHO HAS THE PRESIDENT-ELECT PICKED SO FAR?

Earlier in December, Trump tapped Warren A. Stephens to serve as the U.S. ambassador to the Court of St. James, also known as the U.S. ambassador to the United Kingdom.

"Over the last 38 years, while serving as the president, chairman, and CEO of his company, Stephens Inc., Warren has built a wonderful financial services firm, while selflessly giving back to his community as a philanthropist," Trump said in a post on Truth Social. 

"Warren has always dreamed of serving the United States full-time. I am thrilled that he will now have that opportunity as the top Diplomat, representing the U.S.A. to one of America’s most cherished and beloved Allies."

Burnett did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment. 

Fox News Digital's Greg Wehner contributed to this report.

President-elect Trump dropped his latest round of nominations Saturday afternoon, naming two picks to help lead the Department of Justice (DOJ) and one to work within the Department of Transportation (DOT).

In a Truth Social post, the president-elect announced he was nominating Aaron Reitz to lead the DOJ's Office of Legal Policy. Trump wrote that Reitz would "develop and implement DOJ’s battle plans to advance my Law and Order Agenda, and restore integrity to our Justice System.

"Aaron is currently Senator Ted Cruz’s Chief of Staff, and was previously Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton’s Deputy, where he led dozens of successful lawsuits against the lawless and crooked Biden Administration," Trump continued, adding Reitz would work closely with Trump's pick for U.S. attorney general, Pam Bondi.
 
"Aaron is a true MAGA attorney, a warrior for our Constitution, and will do an outstanding job at DOJ. Congratulations Aaron!"

TIDE TURNS FOR HEGSETH AS TRUMP'S DEFENSE SECRETARY NOMINEE GOES ON OFFENSE

Trump followed up his first announcement by naming Chad Mizelle as the next chief of staff at the DOJ, who is also slated to work with Bondi. 

"During my First Term, Chad was General Counsel and Chief of Staff at the Department of Homeland Security, where he helped to secure our Border, and stop the flow of illegal drugs and aliens into our Country," the Republican leader explained. 

GET TO KNOW DONALD TRUMP'S CABINET: WHO HAS THE PRESIDENT-ELECT PICKED SO FAR?

"Chad is a MAGA warrior, who will help bring accountability, integrity, and Justice back to the DOJ."
 
In a third post, Trump named David Fink as the next administrator of the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA), describing his nominee as a "fifth generation Railroader."

"David will bring his 45+ years of transportation leadership and success, which will deliver the FRA into a new era of safety and technological innovation," Trump said. "Under David’s guidance, the Federal Railroad Administration will be GREAT again. Congratulations to David!"

The White House has announced that President Biden signed a stopgap funding bill into law on Saturday, extending government funding into March and avoiding a shutdown.

The bill provides over $100 billion in disaster aid for those affected by storms Helene and Milton in the U.S. Southeast earlier this year. There was also a $10 billion provision for economic assistance to farmers in the bill. 

The Senate worked into early Saturday morning to pass the bill 85-11, just after the deadline following a chaotic week on Capitol Hill. 

SENATE PASSES BILL TO STOP SHUTDOWN, SENDING IT TO PRESIDENT BIDEN'S DESK

President Biden has not yet publicly commented on the passage of the legislation. 

"H.R. 10545, the ‘American Relief Act, 2025,’ which provides fiscal year 2025 appropriations to Federal agencies through March 14, 2025, for continuing projects and activities of the Federal Government; provides disaster relief appropriations and economic assistance to farmers; extends the Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018; and extends several expiring authorities," a White House statement reads. 

WHITE HOUSE PRESSED ON BIDEN REFUSING TO SPEAK PUBLICLY AHEAD OF SHUTDOWN

President-elect Trump has not spoken publicly since the bill’s passage either, although sources tell Fox that the incoming president is not that happy about the bill because it does not suspend the debt ceiling.

Trump had called on Republicans to act on the debt limit as part of their talks to avert a government shutdown, a demand that dozens of conservative GOP lawmakers bristled at given their concerns about the national debt — which has exceeded $36 trillion.

A bulging 1,547-page continuing resolution (CR) was thrown into disarray earlier in the week following objections by Elon Musk and President-elect Trump. A slimmed-down version was then rejected by House members on Thursday before the House approved Speaker Mike Johnson’s new bill overwhelmingly by 366 votes to 34 on Friday.

White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre warned on Friday that a shutdown could have disrupted the incoming administration's presidential transition process.

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer praised the passage of the funding legislation early Saturday.

"There will be no government shutdown right before Christmas," Schumer wrote on X. "We will keep the government open with a bipartisan bill that funds the government, helps Americans affected by hurricanes and natural disasters, helps our farmers and avoids harmful cuts.

Fox News' Julia Johnson and Elizabeth Elkind contributed to this report. 

How did Elon Musk go from being an Obama supporter to a self-described "dark MAGA" Trump ally? Here's a look at the relationship between two billionaires ahead of the second Trump presidency.

Presidents past and present have displayed breathtaking Christmas trees at the White House. 

Former President Benjamin Harrison is credited by the White House Historical Association as the first to display a Christmas tree in the White House, having placed one in the Second Floor Oval Room in 1889. 

That first known Christmas tree to be displayed in the White House was adorned with candles for Harrison's grandchildren, according to the White House Historical Association. 

PRESIDENT FRANKLIN D. ROOSEVELT SOLD CHRISTMAS TREES TO LOCAL RESIDENTS ON HIS OWN ESTATE IN THE 1930S

It is believed that when Theodore Roosevelt took office in 1901, the Christmas tree tradition was absent throughout his presidency. The answers to whether the Christmas tree was "banned" during this time, and why, are not explicitly clear. 

According to History.com, Roosevelt "banned the Christmas tree from the White House," with "environmental reasons" possibly to blame. 

The National Christmas Tree Association echoed a similar idea, noting on their website that in 1901, Roosevelt tried to stop the practice of having Christmas trees in homes because of concern about the destruction of forests. 

According to the Forest History Society, the tradition of a Christmas tree at the White House was one not established until the 1920s, with presidents prior to Roosevelt making a decision to have a tree and others choosing not to. 

AMERICANS TRAVEL TO FAMILY-OWNED CHRISTMAS TREE FARMS TO PICK THE PERFECT PINE: ‘PEOPLE LOVE IT’

During the early days of the Christmas tree, it was mainly those families with young children who chose to display and decorate one in their homes, according to the source. 

The White House Historical Association described the alleged Roosevelt ban on Christmas trees at the White House as a "myth," with little evidence to support the claim other than the simple fact that the family chose not to put up a tree. 

The Roosevelt's did celebrate Christmas with many popular traditions like gift exchanges, attending church service and enjoying a lovely meal as a family, but chose not to put up a tree, according to the source. 

Though, in 1902, young Archibald "Archie" Roosevelt, the president's son, sneakily put a miniature tree in a closet of the White House that he decorated and proudly presented to his family. 

WHITE HOUSE SELECTS NORTH CAROLINA FAMILY'S CHRISTMAS TREE FARM TO PROVIDE 2024 TREE

After that, according to the White House Association, the president allowed the tradition to continue. 

Many researchers have provided the reason for Roosevelt not having a large tree on display during his presidency as one connected to his conservationism, but according to the White House Association, it was because the Christmas tree tradition was simply one not practiced by the family. 

It was several years later, in 1912, when the very first Christmas tree was put up on display in the Blue Room by former President William H. Taft's children, according to the source, as a means to surprise their parents when they returned from being away. 

It was during former President Dwight Eisenhower's presidency when the Christmas tree found a home in the Blue Room consistently by first lady Mamie Eisenhower. This was continued by first lady Jacqueline Kennedy, according to the White House Association. 

Kennedy was also responsible for the tradition still held today of decorating the Blue Room tree with a theme, which she began in 1961.

The initial Christmas tree theme chosen by Kennedy was the "Nutcracker Suite" ballet. The 2024 White House theme chosen by first lady Jill Biden was a "Season of Peace and Light," according to WhiteHouse.gov.

Another modern tradition that has withstood the test of time is the annual National Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony, which was started in 1923 by former President Calvin Coolidge.

The tree lit in 1923 was a 48-foot Balsam fir, according to the National Christmas Tree Lighting website. 

Beginning in 1966, the National Christmas Tree Association has provided a Christmas tree to be displayed in the Blue Room of the White House.

The 2024 White House tree came from the family-owned and operated Cartner’s Christmas Tree Farm in Newland, North Carolina.

• Elon Musk has demonstrated his ability to upend Washington.
• Trump allies' and Musk's posts have once again shown the power of X.
• Recently, they nuked a government funding bill and possibly saved a cabinet nomination.

Washington better turn on its Twitter, er, X alerts again.

Elon Musk and a loose band of MAGA influencers have shown that even if Twitter wasn't real life, X just might be.

In recent days, Musk's platform has been at the center of efforts to save Pete Hegseth's embattled nomination to lead the Pentagon and to torpedo the type of 1,000-page, year-end spending bills that have joined the National Christmas Tree as a marker of the holiday season.

Democrats are saying that the world's richest man is akin to a shadow president. Some Republicans, like Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia, are floating Musk to become the next speaker of the House.

Musk was already set to wield significant power through Trump's "Department of Government Efficiency," an advisory panel the Tesla CEO will co-lead with former GOP presidential hopeful Vivek Ramaswamy.

Trump had said relatively little about how Republicans should finish their final business before he returns to the White House. Musk upended that silence on Wednesday when he began a full-on assault on X against Speaker Mike Johnson's continuing resolution, which would have extended government funding until March 14.

"The voice of the people was heard," Musk wrote on X, quoting a Republican lawmaker's comments that cited his influence in helping kill the funding bill. "This was a good day for America."

Republicans have long complained about how party leaders fund the government with sweeping proposals, via either continuing resolution or omnibus. The conservative opposition then forces Republicans to cater more to Democrats, as leaders have to find the votes somewhere. Case in point, the year-end 2024 continuing resolution included everything from a congressional pay raise to opening the door to Washington's NFL team returning to the city proper to entice Democrats to support it. There was also $100 billion in disaster relief and a one-year extension to the law that prevents the US from reverting to decades-old farm policies. The total bill was 1,547 pages long.

Musk is also using X to urge Republicans to shut down the federal government if they don't get what they want, potentially affecting everything from pay for US service members to the status of US National Parks.

This isn't the first time Trump and his allies have wielded X. His supporters have been highly alert over the president-elect's Cabinet picks since former Rep. Matt Gaetz pulled out of contention to be the next Attorney General. Hegseth, a former Fox News host, looked to be in jeopardy amid a series of reports about his drinking habits and his treatment of women, including allegations of sexual assault.

Sen. Joni Ernst of Iowa, a combat veteran, expressed concern about Hegseth. In response, a wave of conservative influencers called her out by name on X, and some threatened her with a primary challenge.

"People in Iowa have a well-funded primary challenger ready against her," Charlie Kirk wrote on X. "Her political career is in serious jeopardy."

Ernst, amid the pressure campaign and after additional meetings with Hegseth, later signaled a change in tone on Hegseth's nomination. Without naming her directly, one of Ernst's incoming colleagues said one senator felt "like the entire world coming after her" for not supporting one of Trump's nominees.

"She's being plummeted with threats, with all sorts of things that don't belong in political arena, and her staff is. And so you talk about pressure, right?" Sen.-elect John Curtis of Utah said at a recent event, per Politico. "And speaking with her, she has to worry about things like, 'Well, if I vote against this nominee, what happens to my state when I need something from this administration?'"

Musk alone didn't make X powerful. He is remaking the platform, though, as evidenced by the exodus to Blue Sky and other competitors. He aims to create a free-speech oasis where it is "the best source for truth."

The X CEO has changed policies on the platform based on polls, including when he reinstated Trump's prized account after a simple survey. Musk's posts, including the ones he used to take down the government funding bill, aren't always truthful, such as when he falsely claimed Congress would receive a 40% pay raise (it was 3.5% at most).

It seems like Musk often just wants to dominate the conversation. And while his lofty goals are still in progress, Congress and the rest of the nation's capitol can't afford to ignore him.

They should also turn on Truth Social notifications for good measure.

President Biden was blasted for "quiet quitting" and failing to lead his fellow Democrats amid the ongoing fiscal battle in Congress that could lead to a government shutdown just days before Christmas.

Text of the 1,500-page funding bill needed to keep the government operating as usual was released on Tuesday evening, just three days before the current funding cycle ends. However, President-elect Trump threw a wrench in lawmakers' plans after he demanded Republicans renegotiate the bill to include an increase in the debt ceiling and a reduction in certain Democratic spending initiatives, which Trump described as "Democrat giveaways."

Biden was home in Wilmington, Delaware, attending a memorial service for his late ex-wife and baby daughter, when news of Trump's demands came down. He will return to the nation's capital later Thursday afternoon. 

FORMER OBAMA AIDES MOCK BIDEN ‘DISAPPEARING’ IN FINAL MONTHS OF PRESIDENCY: ‘TRUMP ISN’T PRESIDENT YET'

Thus far, the lame-duck president has not commented on the ongoing spending battle in Congress, but on Wednesday, White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre released a statement deriding Trump for "playing politics."

Fox News Digital reached out to the White House to inquire whether Biden expects to speak about the legislative battle, but did not receive a response.

"Presidents are elected to four-year terms, but Joe Biden long ago ceded the mantle of leadership and the responsibilities of governing. While the rest of the country is busy at work in the last week before Christmas, the president is on vacation in Delaware and the country he ostensibly still oversees is careening toward a fiscal cliff," GOP strategist Colin Reed said.

Reed added that it was "not surprising" to him that Biden's administration "is seemingly content to slink away before their term even ends." Reed said it wasn't surprising either that Americans "voted for a new direction last month."

Meanwhile, in addition to Republicans, former aides to former President Obama, a cohort known as the "Obama bros" who run a popular liberal-leaning podcast, also slammed Biden for his absence, telling listeners of their podcast this week that it is becoming "easier and easier to forget" that Trump isn't in the White House yet. A recent report from The New York Times also noted that Biden has been "a little older and a little slower" in the final days of his presidency.   

"I can’t quite figure it out. He seems to be doing some sort of ‘quiet quitting,’" GOP campaign expert David Kochel said.

BIDEN ‘A LITTLE OLDER AND A LITTLE SLOWER’ IN THE FINAL DAYS OF HIS PRESIDENCY: NEW YORK TIMES REPORT

Kochel pointed out that in addition to being absent amid the government spending fight, Biden was also absent at the reopening ceremony for Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris, which dozens of heads of state attended.

"For the country’s second Catholic president to skip the reopening of Notre Dame, while Trump and Jill Biden attended, one has to wonder if he’s just basically given up," Kochel questioned. "That said, does he even possess the leadership skills and acuity at this point to have any real impact on the government funding issue? I doubt it."

Biden's Cabinet officials seemingly feel different, however. Several of them reiterated their faith in Biden's ability to fulfill his duties for the remainder of his lame-duck presidency this week, despite concerns over his old age and apparent diminished cognitive functioning.  

"Maybe it’s for the best he just fades into the woodwork. It is truly bizarre, though, how much he has disappeared. I think even Democrats are scratching their heads," Kochel said.

Michael Chamberlain, director of ethics watchdog Protect the Public’s Trust, said a lack of leadership from Biden "has essentially been the Biden-Harris administration's MO from nearly the beginning."

CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP

"This vacuum has been evident on ethics and transparency, as well as scientific integrity, and other areas. The administration that was supposed to be a ‘return to normalcy,’ promising to be the most ethical and transparent in history, has proven to be anything but," Chamberlain said. "Sadly, the abdication of leadership in these spaces seems to have expanded to encompass every aspect of the presidency."

Earlier this month, White House chief of staff Jeff Zients sent a memo to staff outlining the final priorities for the Biden administration during its last days before Trump takes over. "Let’s finish strong," he said. 

Members of President Biden's staff noticed his fading stamina and increasing confusion within the first few months of his term, according to a new report from the Wall Street Journal.

The Journal based its report on interviews with nearly 50 people, including current and former White House staffers who interacted directly with the president, as well as lawmakers.

One former aide recalled a national security official explaining why a meeting in the spring of 2021 was canceled altogether.

"He has good days and bad days, and today was a bad day so we’re going to address this tomorrow," he recalled the official saying.

Democratic lawmakers in Congress reported that Biden was less available than past presidents. He had few meetings with members of Congress, and those meetings were often brief, they said.

BIDEN IS SAYING ‘SCREW YOU’ TO THE AMERICAN PEOPLE, BEN FERGUSON ARGUES

"The Biden White House was more insulated than most," Rep. Adam Smith, D-Wash., told the Journal. "I spoke with Barack Obama on a number of occasions when he was president and I wasn’t even chairman of the committee."

"I really had no personal contact with this president. I had more personal contact with Obama, which is sort of strange because I was a lot more junior," Rep Jim Himes, D-Conn., echoed.

BIDEN'S PRESIDENCY WILL BE REMEMBERED AS THE ‘MAN THAT WAS TOO OLD,’ SAYS BYRON YORK

Even members of Biden's own Cabinet soon stopped requesting calls with the president, perceiving from interactions with staff that calls were unwelcome, WSJ reported.

A source familiar with the Journal's reporting said the outlet had on-record interviews with a number of Cabinet members who rejected claims that Biden lacks mental acuity. Those Cabinet members included Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg and EPA Administrator Michael Regan and others, the source said. The Journal did not include their comments in its report.

Biden held fewer than half as many full Cabinet meetings as his most recent predecessors. President-elect Trump held 25 such meetings and former President Obama held 19 in their first terms, but Biden had just eight.

The White House pushed back on the substance of the Journal's report in a statement provided to Fox News Digital, saying Biden's policy accomplishments provide "indisputable proof" of his qualifications and leadership.

"President Biden speaks with members of his Cabinet daily, and with most members multiple times a week, staying in close touch with them about implementation of key laws and strengthening our national security. During every presidency, there are inevitably some in Washington who do not receive as much time with whomever the president is as they would prefer; but that never means that the president isn’t engaging thoroughly with others, as this president does," said White House spokesman Andrew Bates.

"Cabinet meetings are an important tradition, but the contemporary work environment means they can be fewer and far between. As academics who study the presidency have emphasized, every member of the Cabinet – to say nothing of the President – are busy principals and more can be accomplished on behalf of the American people speaking with the President one-on-one or in smaller settings with officials who have related portfolios," he added.

Fox News Digital reached out to Cabinet officials and their departments, asking them if they believed Biden was fit to serve this week, and if they stood by past statements of confidence in his ability to continue.

DHS Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas, in a statement in September, said that he has "full confidence in President Biden’s ability to carry out his job. 

BIDEN'S AGE MUCH MORE OF A LIABILITY THAN TRUMP'S, POLL FINDS AHEAD OF PRESIDENTIAL DEBATE

"As I’ve said before, I come fully prepared for my meetings with President Biden, knowing his questions will be detail-oriented, probing, and exacting. In our exchanges, the President always draws upon our prior conversations and past events in analyzing the issues and reaching his conclusions," he said.

On Monday, DHS said that the secretary stands by those comments.

Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo has called Biden "one of the most accomplished presidents in American history and continues to effectively lead our country with a steady hand."

"As someone who is actually in the room when the President meets with the Cabinet and foreign leaders, I can tell you he is an incisive and extraordinary leader," Raimondo said.

A spokesperson said this week that Raimondo stands by those comments.

Sabrina Singh, deputy Pentagon press secretary, told Fox in September: "As Secretary Austin has said before, he has watched President Biden make tough national security decisions and seen his commitment to keeping our troops safe – he has nothing but total confidence in our Commander-in-Chief."

This week, Singh said those comments still stand.

West Virginia Democrats torched President Biden’s choices of last-minute executive clemency recipients, saying they would expect such actions from their rival, President-elect Trump.

In a statement released late Monday, local party leaders said they applauded Biden for leading the U.S. "through significant economic challenges" but blasted commutations being given to people convicted of public corruption.

"Public corruption is a betrayal of trust. When officials abuse the power of their office for personal gain, they not only harm the communities they are supposed to serve, but they also erode faith in our government institutions," wrote Chairman Mike Pushkin, a state lawmaker from Kanawha County.

"Even more troubling, these kinds of pardons are exactly what we would expect from President-elect Donald Trump, not President Biden."

WV LAWMAKER ARRESTED AFTER THREATENING TO KILL ENTIRE REGION'S DELEGATION OVER CAUCUS BEEF

In a statement for the state party, Pushkin criticized Trump’s first-term pardons of former Detroit Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick, Gen. Michael Flynn, political strategist Stephen K. Bannon and ex-Rep. Rick Renzi, R-Ariz.

"By following this same path, President Biden has legitimized the idea that public officials who violate their oaths of office are above the law," Pushkin said.

"Worse still, it will embolden Trump to issue even more pardons for political corruption if he returns to the White House."

Pushkin and other Democrats were particularly critical of Biden’s decision to pardon disgraced Pennsylvania Judge Michael Conahan, the key figure in the "kids-for-cash" scandal.

Conahan was convicted of receiving kickbacks for sentencing young people to for-profit prisons.

Delegate Hollis Lewis, D-Charleston, told Fox News Digital that he, too, took issue with Biden’s decision to give Conahan clemency.

"The one that got me upset was the judge who was involved in the cash-for-kids case," he said.

"Any time that you have individuals who prey on our most vulnerable population, which are children and the elderly, that's very problematic."

DOZENS OF STATES LOBBY EPA TO DENY CALIFORNIA WAIVER FORCING OUT OF STATE TRUCKS TO COMPLY WITH MANDATE

Lewis said presidents of both parties have made questionable clemency choices, adding that a pardon is an important tool that has its place.

"I don't think anybody needs to walk around with a scarlet letter of a felony for the whole lot, depending on the particular crime that they committed; if that pardon is going to allow them to move on with their lives," he said.

"But specifically when it's crimes involving the elderly… and children or crimes with patterns of violence where the evidence is clear and there's no reasonable doubt, then maybe we ought to think twice before we exonerate those individuals."

In its statement, the West Virginia Democratic Party also criticized Biden’s clemency for ex-Dixon, Illinois Comptroller Rita Crundwell, who was punished for embezzling $54 million in the largest municipal fraud case in the country.

The third case mentioned involved Jimmy Dimora, a former county commissioner in Cleveland involved in a pay-to-play scheme.

CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP

Fox News Digital reached out to West Virginia Sen. Joe Manchin, who is now an independent, but still caucuses with Democrats.

West Virginia previously found itself in the news during presidential pardon season, when former President Clinton issued his widely-rebuked pardon of then-fugitive financier Marc Rich.

Rich had been accused of tax evasion and circumventing sanctions on Iran and apartheid South Africa.

However, Rich also had a stake in an aluminum manufacturer on the Ohio River when it was accused of locking out 1,500 workers and hiring scabs amid allegations such a move was illegal because the plant allegedly conducted a lockout.

Members of the West Virginia union reportedly picketed in Switzerland in front of Rich’s office. 

Clinton’s pardons of Rich and business partner Pincus Green earned him a federal investigation initially led by New York prosecutor Mary Jo White. 

When White’s tenure ended in 2002, she was replaced by a young federal prosecutor whose name would resurface in another Clinton controversy many years later: James Comey.

President-elect Trump dropped his most recent round of ambassador nominations on social media Tuesday night, before issuing a warning to Senate Republicans about any potential deals with Democratic lawmakers.

The Republican leader began by nominating Herschel Walker as his choice for U.S. ambassador to the Commonwealth of the Bahamas. Walker, a staunch Trump ally, ran for the U.S. Senate in 2022 as a candidate from Georgia.

"I am pleased to nominate Herschel Walker as United States Ambassador to the Commonwealth of the Bahamas," Trump's post began. "Herschel has spent decades serving as an Ambassador to our Nation’s youth, our men and women in the Military, and athletes at home and abroad."

Trump went on to call Walker, a former National Football League (NFL) player, a "successful businessman, philanthropist, former Heisman Trophy winner, and NFL Great." The president-elect also commended Walker's previous work in the first Trump administration.

TIDE TURNS FOR HEGSETH AS TRUMP'S DEFENSE SECRETARY NOMINEE GOES ON OFFENSE

"During my First Term, he served as Co-Chair of the President’s Council on Sports, Fitness, and Nutrition. Herschel has traveled to over 400 Military installations around the World, removing the stigma surrounding mental health," Trump added. "He represented the United States at the 1992 Winter Olympics as a member of the U.S. bobsled team."
 
"Congratulations Herschel! You will make Georgia, and our entire Nation, proud, because we know you will always put AMERICA FIRST!"

Trump followed up his post about Walker to announce Nicole McGraw as his pick for U.S. ambassador to Croatia. The president-elect described McGraw as a "philanthropist, businesswoman, and World renowned art collector."

GET TO KNOW DONALD TRUMP'S CABINET: WHO HAS THE PRESIDENT-ELECT PICKED SO FAR?

"Nicole has brought fine art to the People through her work leading CANVAS Art Charities, and raised Millions of Dollars for neglected and abused children as a Board Member of Place of Hope," Trump wrote. "She is a graduate of Southern Methodist University with a BFA in Art History and Studio Art. Congratulations Nicole!"

After issuing the nominations, Trump ended with a note warning Senate Republicans not to make deals with Democrats to "fast track" nominations this month.

"To all Senate Republicans: NO DEAL WITH DEMOCRATS TO FAST TRACK NOMINATIONS AT THE END OF THIS CONGRESS," Trump wrote. "I won the biggest mandate in 129 years. I will make my appointments of Very Qualified People in January when I am sworn in."

• President Joe Biden expressed support for a stock trading ban in Congress for the first time.
• "Nobody in the Congress should be able to make money in the stock market," he said.
• Lawmakers have been trying to enact a stock trading ban for years.

With just a few weeks left in his tenure, President Joe Biden expressed support for banning members of Congress from trading stocks.

"Nobody in the Congress should be able to make money in the stock market while they're in the Congress," Biden said in a forthcoming interview with More Perfect Union, according to the Associated Press.

It's the first time that Biden has expressed support for the idea, which has been a subject of debate on Capitol Hill for years.

In 2022, then-White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki said that Biden "believes that everyone should be held to the highest standard," but that he would defer to Congress on the issue.

"I don't know how you look your constituents in the eye and know, because the job they gave you, gave you an inside track to make more money," Biden said in the More Perfect Union interview. "I think we should be changing the law."

Despite widespread public support for a stock-trading ban, it's unlikely to come to fruition during this Congress. Even so, there's been significant progress over the years, with a bipartisan group of senators passing a compromise stock-trading ban bill out of committee in July.

President Biden made history last week when he granted clemency to more than 1,500 people with a sweeping list of commutations and pardons. 

However, the move was met with fierce backlash from critics pointing out various names on the clemency list included individuals who cost taxpayers tens of millions of dollars through their fraudulent actions.

Among those covered in what the Biden White House is calling the largest single-day act of clemency by a U.S. president was Rita Crundwell, a former comptroller in Dixon, Illinois. Crundwell was convicted and sentenced to nearly 20 years behind bars for using her position to steal nearly $54 million from the small town best known for the boyhood home of Ronald Reagan.

Also on the list was former New York law partner Paul M. Daugerdas, who was sentenced to 15 years in prison for his role in a multibillion-dollar tax fraud scheme described by prosecutors as one of the largest criminal tax fraud cases in U.S. history, as well as Toyosi Alatishe, who abused his position as a caretaker for patients with severe mental deficiencies and physical disabilities by using their personal information to file fraudulent tax returns. 

BIDEN CLEMENCY ANNOUNCEMENT GETS MIXED REVIEWS ON CAPITOL HILL: ‘WHERE’S THE BAR?'

In response to Biden's decision to grant clemency to Crundwell, Republican Illinois state Sen. Andrew Chesney called the move "nothing short of a slap in the face to the people of Dixon." 

"Her crimes did not only affect the taxpayers of Dixon, but they also had a rippling effect across the region and state, as communities became subject to stricter, more tedious regulations," Chesney said in a statement following the commutation of Crundwell's sentence. "First, it was the pardoning of his son, and now Biden is apparently extending clemency to anyone with political connections, including corrupt government employees. It’s sickening."

Illinois Republican Rep. Darin LaHood echoed Chesney's remarks about the commutation being a "slap in the face" to those impacted by Crundwell's crime, adding that "while many families in Dixon were living paycheck to paycheck, [Crundwell] took advantage of their trust in government and used her access to live an unearned life of luxury."

In addition to schemes that defrauded public funds, many of the commutations Biden handed out went to white-collar criminals accused of defrauding their clients out of millions of dollars. Meanwhile, Biden also commuted the sentence of Michael Conahan, a former judge who imposed harsh sentences against juveniles in exchange for $2.8 million in illegal payments in what became known as a "kids for cash" scandal.

"I want to see [Conahan's] name removed because that's just… another slap in the face, another injustice, on top of all of the grief that everybody in this community has already endured," said Sandy Fonzo, whose son Edward committed suicide after being sent to a juvenile detention center for eight months after getting caught drinking underage.

MOTHER RIPS BIDEN FOR COMMUTING SENTENCE FOR ‘KIDS-FOR-CASH’ JUDGE: ‘DEEPLY UPSETTING’

The administration commuted sentences for inmates who were on home confinement during the COVID-19 pandemic and who "have successfully reintegrated into their families and communities," according to the announcement. 

This includes verification that the person’s primary or a prior offense was not violent, a sex offense, or terrorism-related; ensured a low or minimum recidivism risk; and confirmed that the person was not engaged in violent or gang-related activity while incarcerated. All were on good behavior, and the decisions were not made on an individual basis.

Between 2017 and 2021, then-President Trump granted just 143 pardons and 93 sentence commutations – amounting to just 2% of the clemency applications that his administration received, according to available Justice Department data.

A doctor in federal prison for chemotherapy fraud was among the recent recipients of clemency from President Biden, a stark contrast given the president's longtime advocacy for cancer patients and survivors.

Biden's sweeping clemency actions last week included sentence commutations of nearly 1,.500 prisoners, including Meera Sachdeva, a Mississippi oncologist who was senteced to two decades in prison after she pleaded guilty to chemotherapy fraud. Sachdeva gave her patients only partial doses of their prescribed cancer treatment while billing them for the full amount. 

Sachdeva pleaded guilty in 2012 to the federal charges, which included defrauding health insurance providers and Medicare by submitting false claims on behalf of the patients she was treating. In addition to the prison time, she was also ordered to pay nearly $8.2 million in restitution.

U.S. prosecutors said that between 2007 and 2011, Sachdeva's patients believed that they were receiving an amount of chemotherapy equal to the amount being billed to their respective health care benefit programs, but that patients were instead receiving reduced dosages, lower than the prescribed and billed amount of chemotherapy drugs.

A U.S. district court judge in Jackson, Mississippi, said he was "appalled" by Sachdeva's treatment of her patients at a vulnerable time in their lives. 

BIDEN SETS RECORD WITH FIRST-TERM CLEMENCY GRANTS, HERE'S HOW OTHERS PRESIDENTS RANK

"It's a very small thing to send this woman to jail for the next 20 years when you compare it to the damage she has done," U.S. District Judge Daniel P. Jordan III said in court. 

"The health care fraud perpetrated by these defendants was an abuse of public trust motivated by greed," U.S. attorney Gregory K. Davis said in a statement announcing the original prison sentence for Sachdeva in response to her guilty plea.

"We remain committed to protect the integrity of our health care system and will continue to strictly enforce our federal health care laws."

The news comes as certain names on Biden's clemency list have come under heightened scrutiny. Among those whose sentences were commuted or pardoned are Toyosi Alatishe, who abused his position as patient caretaker for individuals with severe mental deficiencies and physical disabilities by using their personal information to file fraudulent tax returns, and former Pennsylvania judge Michael Conahan, who was convicted in 2011 for his role in a "Kids-for-Cash" scheme, in which children were sent to for-profit detention centers in return for millions of dollars of kickbacks from the private prisons. 

BIDEN CLEMENCY ANNOUNCEMENT GETS MIXED REVIEWS ON CAPITOL HILL: 'WHERE'S THE BAR?'

Biden's clemency in Sachdeva's case stands out in part from his history of advocacy on behalf of cancer patients. 

In 2016, then-Vice President Biden launched the Cancer Moonshot, aimed at bringing together cancer researchers and accelerating scientific discovery in cancer research. The initiative was announced shortly after Biden's son, Beau Biden, died from a rare form of brain cancer. 

In a statement last week announcing the new clemency actions, Biden said America "was built on the promise of possibility and second chances."

"As president, I have the great privilege of extending mercy to people who have demonstrated remorse and rehabilitation, restoring opportunity for Americans to participate in daily life and contribute to their communities, and taking steps to remove sentencing disparities for nonviolent offenders, especially those convicted of drug offenses," Biden said.

President-elect Trump announced his nominations for U.S. ambassadors to five countries on Monday, including Austria and Japan.

In a series of Truth Social posts on Monday night, the incoming president detailed his picks for the U.S. ambassadors to Japan, the Dominican Republic, Austria, Luxembourg and Uruguay. Each nominee will need to be confirmed by the U.S. Senate.

Trump named George Edward Glass, a former U.S. ambassador to Portugal, to serve as the incoming U.S. ambassador to Japan.

"As a former President of an Investment Bank, George will bring his business acumen to the Ambassador’s position," Trump said of Glass. "George graduated from the University of Oregon, served as Alumni President, and on its Board of Trustees. He will always PUT AMERICA FIRST. Congratulations George!"

TIDE TURNS FOR HEGSETH AS TRUMP'S DEFENSE SECRETARY NOMINEE GOES ON OFFENSE

Leah Francis Campos, the sister of "Fox & Friends Weekend" co-host Rachel Campos-Duffy and sister-in-law to incoming Secretary of Transportation Sean Duffy, was also picked to be an ambassador. Trump nominated her to serve as U.S. ambassador to the Dominican Republic.

"Leah served our Country as a CIA Case Officer before becoming Senior Advisor for the Western Hemisphere on the House Foreign Affairs Committee," the Republican wrote. "Leah will take her love of Country, and commitment to our National Security and Prosperity, to her post as U.S. Ambassador to the Dominican Republic. Congratulations Leah!"

GET TO KNOW DONALD TRUMP'S CABINET: WHO HAS THE PRESIDENT-ELECT PICKED SO FAR?

Trump also announced Arthur Graham Fisher, the president of Fisher Realty, as his pick for U.S. ambassador to Austria.

"He has been consistently ranked as a top broker in the area, and the State of North Carolina, representing many of the most astute clients in America," the incoming president wrote. "Art has been a staunch supporter of America First Policies, and will make us proud in Austria!"

Trump added that Stacey Feinberg and Lou Rinaldi will serve as U.S. ambassadors to Luxembourg and Uruguay, respectively.

HEAD HERE FOR THE LATEST FROM FOX NEWS ON THE TRUMP TRANSITION

"As a Producer of Broadway musicals, a motivational speaker, and a Board Member of the Women Founders Network, Stacey is committed to supporting women in launching their careers, and scaling their businesses to unprecedented success," Trump wrote of Feinberg. "Stacy will be GREAT, and make America proud!"

Of Rinaldi, Trump called his nominee a "successful businessman, entrepreneur, and longtime friend," who grew up in Uruguay.

"Lou is a great golfer, and will be in a Country with some terrific courses. Having grown up in Uruguay, he possesses an intimate understanding of the Country’s culture and history," Trump's statement read. "His expertise and background make him exceptionally qualified to advance U.S. interests, and strengthen the longstanding partnership between the United States and Uruguay."

Fox News' Deirdre Heavy contributed to this report.

President Biden made history last week when he commuted the sentences of nearly 1,500 prisoners and pardoned another 39 people – sparking mixed reactions from lawmakers, including Democrats, who noted that his actions far outpace the clemency actions of any other U.S. president serving his first term in office.

In a statement last week announcing the new clemency actions, Biden said America "was built on the promise of possibility and second chances."

"As president, I have the great privilege of extending mercy to people who have demonstrated remorse and rehabilitation, restoring opportunity for Americans to participate in daily life and contribute to their communities, and taking steps to remove sentencing disparities for nonviolent offenders, especially those convicted of drug offenses," Biden said.

Biden's lengthy list sparked mixed reaction from some lawmakers and criminal justice reform advocates, who questioned the administration's decision-making in determining prisoners that were eligible for clemency. 

BIDEN CLEMENCY ANNOUNCEMENT GETS MIXED REVIEWS ON CAPITOL HILL: 'WHERE'S THE BAR?'

The Biden administration told CNN that the decisions on who could be included were not made on an individual basis, but rather, was a "uniform" decision granted to people with a record of good behavior while on house arrest. 

That includes former Illinois city comptroller Rita Crundwell, who, in 2012, pleaded guilty to a nearly $55 million embezzlement scheme, and former Pennsylvania judge Michael Conahan, who was convicted in 2011 for his role in a "Kids-for-Cash" scheme, in which children were sent to for-profit detention centers in return for millions of dollars of kickbacks from the private prisons. 

A full list of individuals included in Biden's most recent clemency action can be found on the Justice Department website. The White House did not immediately respond to Fox News's request for comment on its decision-making in issuing presidential pardons.

Biden's decision to include Conahan on his list of prisoners granted clemency was sharply criticized Friday by Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro, a Democrat who had been considered on Vice President Kamala Harris' short-list for running mate earlier this year.

Shapiro said Friday he thinks Biden got it "absolutely wrong" in granting clemency to Conahan, saying the decision has "created a lot of pain here in northeastern Pennsylvania." 

"Some children took their lives because of this. Families were torn apart," Shapiro said of the for-profit detention center scandal.

BIDEN STIRS OUTRAGE IN SCRANTON BY COMMUTING 'KIDS FOR CASH' JUDGE'S SENTENCE

Before leaving office in 2017, President Barack Obama granted clemency to 1,927 individuals during his two terms as president – the highest total of any modern president going back to former president Harry Truman, also a Democrat, according to a Pew Research Center analysis of Justice Department data. 

Truman, who served as president from 1945 to 1953, granted clemency to 2,044 individuals during his two terms in office – slightly outpacing Obama's list. 

Franklin D. Roosevelt, who was elected president four times, granted a total of 3,687 pardons, sentence commutations and other acts of clemency during his time in the White House. After Roosevelt died in office during his fourth term, the U.S. Constitution was ratified to limit all future presidents to two terms in office.

Others noted the differences between individuals included on Biden's clemency list and those who saw reduced or pardoned sentences under Obama.

The vast majority of Obama’s clemency actions focused on commuting the sentences of federal inmates who met certain criteria outlined under his administration’s Clemency Initiative, a program that ended in 2017 when Trump took office.

But critics have noted the stark differences between the number of individuals selected for clemency under each president – and any relationship to a sitting commander in chief.

The Obama administration, for example, largely focused its commutations and reductions on nonviolent drug offenders, including many who had been sentenced under mandatory minimum sentencing laws passed by Congress in the late 1980s. 

These clemency grants came under sharp criticism by some Republicans, who accused Obama of imposing his political will to end certain mandatory minimum sentences – which many argued at the time minimized the "lawmaking authority" of Congress.

But Biden’s clemency grants also far outpace his predecessor, Donald Trump, during his first term in office. 

Between 2017 and 2021, Trump granted just 143 pardons and 93 sentence commutations – amounting to just 2% of the clemency applications that his administration received, according to available Justice Department data. 

Some noted that the individuals selected for clemency during Trump's first term also appear to bear a very different list of criteria compared to former presidents.

An analysis conducted by Lawfare found that 29 of the 34 pardons granted by Trump were not based on recommendations of the Justice Department's Office of the Pardon Attorney. 

Such recommendations are not necessary for clemency, but presidents in recent memory have relied on the DOJ for input into worthy recipients for pardons and commutations.

• Big Tech companies and CEOs are already lining up six-figure donations to Donald Trump's inauguration.
• Amazon, Sam Altman, and Meta are each prepared to donate $1 million.
• There are virtually no limits on inaugural donations, meaning Big Tech companies can cut massive checks.

Big Tech companies and the moguls behind them are preparing to make six-figure donations to President-elect Donald Trump's inaugural committee.

Jeff Bezos' Amazon, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman, and Mark Zuckerberg's Meta have all been reported to have made or will make $1 million to the outfit tasked with planning and organizing Trump's triumphant return to power.

"The financing of inaugurations is really a cesspool when it comes to campaign financing," Craig Holman, a lobbyist for government watchdog Public Citizen, told Business Insider.

Holman said there are few, if any, limits to inaugural donations, and what makes them particularly appealing is that megadonors and CEOs don't have to worry about picking the loser.

"Unlike financing a campaign, when you don't know for sure who is going to win, here in the inauguration, you've got the winner," he said. "So corporations and other special interests just throw money at them at the feet of the president with the hope of currying favor."

Jeff Hauser, executive director of the Revolving Door Project, a public interest group, said donations to the inaugural committee are less likely to irk the opposition.

"They are frequently a mechanism for entities that sit out elections to get good with the incoming administration," he said.

Trump's 2017 inaugural set a record, raking in roughly $107 million. Las Vegas Sands CEO Sheldon Adelson donated $5 million, the largest single donation. AT&T gave just over $2 million. For many in Washington, it was a time to make nice with an incoming president that few thought would win the 2016 race.

This time, Trump's inaugural offers one final major opportunity for CEOs to curry influence with the president-elect at his peak.

Since he'll be term-limited, the next major fundraising opportunity likely won't come until Trump begins preparations for a presidential library (should that even occur). At that point, companies will have missed their window to make a final impression before mergers and acquisitions.

2017 Trump inaugural donors benefited greatly

Playing ball can have major benefits. OpenSecrets found in 2018 that "of the 63 federal contractors that donated to the inauguration, more than half won multimillion-dollar bids" from the federal government later on.

Foreign donors can't contribute to a president-elect's inaugural committee, and the committee must publicly disclose details about donations over $200 within 90 days of Inauguration Day. Otherwise, there are few limits on what individuals or corporations can give, and inaugural committees are not required to explain how they spend the money.

Some presidents, especially Obama in 2009, have imposed voluntary restrictions on donations. Obama refused to accept corporate donations or individual contributions over $50,000 for his historic first inauguration, though he later lifted those limits for his reelection celebration.

Hauser said donations will allow corporations to prepare for an especially transactional period.

"I think that corporations with an agenda in Trump's Washington, be it offense, like getting new contracts, or defense, like avoiding negative federal scrutiny, are going to spend millions of dollars in Washington to either make or protect billions in the real economy," Hauser said.

Tech companies are under the microscope.

Amazon, Google, and Meta have all faced antitrust concerns. Republican lawmakers have frequently grilled Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg over Facebook's decision to limit sharing the New York Post's initial report on Hunter Biden's laptop ahead of the 2020 election. Zuckerberg and his wife, Priscilla Chan, donated to help election officials during the COVID-19 pandemic, enraging some on the right, while Trump repeatedly lit into Amazon founder Jeff Bezos for The Washington Post's coverage of his first administration. Amazon sued the Trump administration after Microsoft was awarded a $10 billion cloud computing contract over them, alleging that Trump's animus for Bezos sunk their chances.

Bezos and Zuckerberg have since taken steps to repair their relationships with the Trump world. Zuckerberg has expressed regret over Facebook's decision to censor some posts about COVID-19. He also pledged not to donate to help election officials. Bezos intervened when The Post's editorial board was ready to endorse Vice President Kamala Harris.

Bezos also recently said Trump seemed "calmer than he was the first time and more settled."

"You've probably grown in the last eight years," Bezos said at The New York Times DealBook Summit in December. "He has, too."

Altman has been entangled in a legal battle with his OpenAI cofounder Elon Musk, who is set to be an influential figure in the Trump administration.

In a statement about his donation, Altman said, "President Trump will lead our country into the age of AI, and I am eager to support his efforts to ensure America stays ahead."

Representatives for Amazon, Meta, and Trump's inaugural did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Business Insider.

To get a taste of what may be in store, one only needs to look at what happened at President Joe Biden's inauguration.

A leaked fundraising memo showed that large donations netted individuals and organizations various perks, including opportunities to meet Biden, receive private briefings from top campaign officials, and "preferred viewing" for the virtual inauguration.

All of those benefits came amid pandemic precautions. Trump's party will have no such limits.