Donald Trump to prosecute Joe Biden? US President's five bold moves on 3rd day at Oval Office

US President Donald Trump made an explosive return to the White House this week — overturning numerous policies, issuing around 1500 pardons, opted out of global accords and more.

“On day one, I signed an executive order directing every member of my cabinet to marshal all powers at their disposal to defeat inflation and reduce the cost of daily life. I imposed a federal hiring freeze, a federal regulation freeze, a foreign aid freeze, and I created the new Department of Government Efficiency,” he reminded the World Economic Forum on Wednesday.

The list however includes only a small percentage of the policy changes and possiblities that Trump has broached since taking oath three days ago. Here are five rather concerning moments from the past 24 hours…

Donald Trump to prosecute Joe Biden?

The US President hinted during an interview on Wednesday that he might prosecute his predecessor Joe Biden without divulging details. The outgoing leader had issued pre-emptive pardons for dozens during his final hours in office — including his family — and cited the possibility of politically motivated investigations.

“This guy went around giving everybody pardons. The funny thing, maybe the sad thing, is he didn't give himself a pardon. And if you look at it, it all had to do with him,” he told Sean Hannity.

Trump also suggested that the Attorney General should investigate Biden.

“I went through four years in hell by this scum we had to deal with...it's really hard to say they shouldn't have to go through it also,” he opined.

White House invite for January 6 rioters?

President Donald Trump has pardoned over 1,500 individuals involved in the January 6 Capitol riots that came after his 2020 election defeat. The lengthy list includes more than 200 people who had pleaded guilty to assaulting police officers.

“Well, we have to see. They’ve been given a pardon. I thought their sentences were ridiculous and excessive,” he added upon being asked if there was place in American politics for the Proud Boys and Oath Keepers.

Dubbed violent crimes against cops ‘very minor incidents’

Trump also told the Fox News host that attacks against the police on January 6 2021 were “very minor incidents” as he sought to defend the issue of pardons to insurrectionists.

“You know how many people we're talking about? 1500 people. Almost all of them, this should not have happened. Some of these with the police? True. But they were very minor incidents. They get built by a couple of fake guys on CNN all the time. They were very minor incidents, and it was time,” he insisted.

Pardoned police officials convicted in murder of Black man

Donald Trump pardoned two police officers convicted of murder on Wednesday. Terence Sutton Jr had been sentenced to 66 months in prison while Andrew Zabavsky was sentenced to 48 months in prison over “an unauthorized police pursuit that ended in a collision”.

The incident took place in October 2020 and caused the death of 20-year-old Karon Hylton-Brown. Sutton was found guilty by a unanimous federal jury in late 2022, after a nine-week trial, of second-degree murder, conspiracy to obstruct, and obstruction of justice. The same jury found Zabavsky guilty of conspiracy to obstruct and obstruction of justice.

Threatened to halt funding for sanctuary states

The migrant crackdown initiated by Donald Trump went a step further on Wednesday — with the POTUS threatening to halt funding to ‘sanctuary states’. The term refers to states whose constitution madates that law enforcement and government agencies don't ask about immigration status unless a crime is committed. California, New York, New Jersey and Illinois — all Democratic strongholds — are among 11 states with such laws or policies that limit cooperation with federal immigration enforcement.

According to the Immigrant Legal Resource Center, some 44% of immigrants lived illegally within sanctuary states in 2022. That figure does not include those in sanctuary cities and counties in places without a state-wide law — such as New Mexico. Law enforcement in sanctuary states typically refuse to alert US Immigration and Customs Enforcement when they detain or release an immigrant eligible for deportation.

“I might have to do that. Sometimes that's the only thing you can do,” Trump said in response to a query about his plans to cut off funding.

(With inputs from agencies)