Joe Biden pardons his family and Dr Anthony Fauci to guard against ...

Joe Biden has pardoned his siblings and their spouses in the final minutes of his presidency, saying his family had been "subjected to unrelenting attacks and threats, motivated solely by a desire to hurt me".

"Unfortunately, I have no reason to believe these attacks will end," he said.

The family pardons were the surprise finale in a series of unprecedented presidential actions by the Democrat, who has been known as an intuitionalist during his half-century in politics.

He also pardoned Anthony Fauci, the US's former chief medical advisor, to guard against potential "revenge" by the Donald Trump's incoming administration.

And he pardoned retired General Mark Milley and members of the House committee that investigated the January 6 attack on the Capitol.

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"The issuance of these pardons should not be mistaken as an acknowledgement that any individual engaged in any wrongdoing, nor should acceptance be misconstrued as an admission of guilt for any offence," Mr Biden said in a statement.

Mr Biden issued blanket pardons for his brother James and his wife, Sara; his sister, Valerie, and her husband, John Owens; and his brother Francis. 

The family pardons came just before noon, local time, when Mr Biden was already at the Capitol to see Mr Trump inaugurated.

Mr Trump has warned of an enemies list filled with those who have crossed him politically

His list also included people he thought would hold him accountable for his attempt to overturn his 2020 election loss and his role in the storming of the US Capitol on January 6, 2021.

"These are exceptional circumstances, and I cannot in good conscience do nothing," Mr Biden said.

"Even when individuals have done nothing wrong — and in fact have done the right thing — and will ultimately be exonerated, the mere fact of being investigated or prosecuted can irreparably damage reputations and finances."

Doctor target of hatred

Dr Fauci was director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases at the National Institutes of Health for nearly 40 years and was Mr Biden's chief medical advisor until his retirement in 2022.

He helped coordinate the nation's response to the COVID-19 pandemic and refused to back Mr Trump's unfounded claims about the disease.

The doctor has become a target of intense hatred and vitriol from people on the right, who blame him for mask mandates and other policies they believe infringed on their rights.

Mark Milley, who is the former chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, called Mr Trump a fascist and detailed Mr Trump's conduct around the January 6 insurrection.

Mr Biden is also extending pardons to members and staff of the January 6 committee, including Liz Cheney and Adam Kinzinger, both Republicans, as well as the US Capitol and DC Metropolitan police officers who testified before the committee.

Mr Biden has promised a smooth transition to the next administration.

AP