President Joe Biden said he had not made a decision about issuing preemptive pardons before leaving office, leaving the door open to an unprecedented move to protect some of his allies as he warned President-elect Donald Trump against trying to “settle scores.

U.S. President Joe Biden said he remained undecided on whether to issue pre-emptive pardons to protect some public figures who have been threatened with retaliation by his Republican successor Donald Trump.

President Joe Biden believes he could have won the 2024 election if he had decided to stay in the race, he told USA Today in a wide-ranging interview. "It's presumptuous to say that, but I think yes," he told the newspaper during a nearly hourlong interview on Sunday.

For all the valedictory moments that Joe Biden and his staff lined up for his quiet final weeks in the White House – ceremonies awarding medals to supportive celebrities and political friends, receptions and fleeting moments of reflection with the dwindling number of top aides left around – Thursday is unique.