Former President Joe Biden announced a set of sweeping pre-emptive pardons to members of his family just minutes before leaving office on Monday.

The announcement came ahead of the inauguration ceremony for Donald Trump, who was sworn in as the 47th president and it included his two brothers as well as his sister.

Biden released a statement in which he said: "My family has been subjected to unrelenting attacks and threats, motivated solely by a desire to hurt me.”

The pardons quickly drew claims of hypocrisy from republicans and President Trump told a reporter in between inaugural events at the Capitol that it was "unfortunate" that Biden issued the pardons.

Biden's pardons for five of his family members were among a slew of preemptive pardons he issued as he left office.

Pardons were also granted for Dr. Anthony Fauci, former Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Mark Milley, other members and staff of the committee that investigated the January 6th attack, and Capitol and D.C. Metropolitan Police officers who testified before it.

Biden previously pardoned his son, Hunter, of federal gun and tax charges in December.