Trump era to end with flurry of pardons

The Trump era is drawing to a close with the outgoing President conferring with advisers and family on who should receive clemency.

Preparations are made on Tuesday for a dress rehearsal for the inauguration of Joe Biden and Kamala Harris at the US Capitol Buiding. Picture: AFP

The Trump era is drawing to a close as the outgoing President ­finalises plans to issue a blizzard of up to 100 pardons in his last official act and the US prepares for the ­inauguration of Joe Biden.

First Lady Melania Trump also made her final address to the country, as movers were seen carrying furniture into the Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida where the Trumps will live after leaving the White House for the last time on Thursday (AEDT).

But there was one final clash between Mr Biden and the outgoing President when the president-elect’s team said he would overturn one of Mr Trump’s last orders to lift a COVID-19 travel ban into the US from Brazil and much of Europe. Mr Trump’s order, issued on Tuesday (AEDT), would have lifted the ban on travel restrictions into the US from Europe, the UK, Ireland and Brazil on the grounds that travellers from these countries now require passengers to have a negative COVID-19 test before they travel.

But Biden press secretary Jen Psaki said they would halt the Trump order before it went into effect. “On the advice of our medical team, the administration does not intend to lift these restrictions on (January 26). In fact, we plan to strengthen public health measures around international travel in order to further mitigate the spread of COVID-19,” she tweeted.

The clash showed the very different approach that Mr Trump and Mr Biden have on combating the pandemic.

With just over a day to go until the change of president there were no signs of large numbers of Trump supporters arriving to protest the inauguration in Washington, which is now protected by 25,000 National Guard troops.

Tight security measures across the city have ensured that protesters will not be able to get near the Capitol building where Mr Biden will be sworn in on Thursday morning (AEDT) — with only dignitaries, invited guests and media watching on.

Mr Biden is putting the finishing touches to his inauguration speech, which will be an aspirational address stressing the need for Americans to unify and heal the divides of the Trump era.

On Wednesday (AEDT), inauguration eve, Mr Biden will host a memorial that features lighting around the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool for the more than 400,000 Americans who have died from the coronavirus.

Mr Biden plans to sign a raft of executive orders on his first day as the former vice-president seeks to unwind the Trump legacy.

The 78-year-old will also unveil on day one a sweeping plan to overhaul the country’s immigration laws.

These include an eight-year pathway to citizenship for immigrants without legal status and an expansion of refugee admissions.

The proposal, which must be approved by congress, also seeks to deploy technology to control the southern border, rather than continue to build Mr Trump’s border wall.

Mr Trump has spent his last few days as president discussing with his advisers and family who he should grant a presidential pardon for. He is reportedly considering pardoning between 50 to 100 people. These may include his former adviser Steve Bannon and rapper Lil Wayne, but the President is unlikely to extend a pardon to the Australian WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange.

Mr Trump has already pardoned a long list of his former associates including Roger Stone, Paul Manafort, George Papadopoulos and Michael Flynn.

In a seven-minute video message to Americans, Mrs Trump paid tribute to the country’s ordinary heroes, including caregivers, military and police, and called on people to refrain from violence.

“It has been the greatest honour of my life to serve as first lady of the United States,” she said.

“I have been inspired by incredible Americans across our country who lift up our communities through their kindness and courage, goodness and grace.”

“Be passionate in everything you do, but always remember that violence is never the answer and will never be justified … the promise of this nation belongs to all of us; do not lose sight of your integrity and values.”