The final days of "Dark Brandon"

Zoom in: The conservative frenzy around Biden's lame-duck behavior began with the December pardon of his son, Hunter, which upset even some Democrats who saw the move as morally inconsistent.

• Two days before Christmas, Biden commuted the sentences of 37 out of 40 federal inmates on death row — drawing praise from criminal justice groups, but outrage from Republicans and some victims' families.
• Last week, Biden gave former Rep. Liz Cheney (R-Wyo.) — whom Trump has called to be prosecuted — the Presidential Citizens Medal for her work leading the House panel that investigated the Jan. 6 assault on the Capitol.

Then on Saturday, Biden honored Hillary Clinton and liberal philanthropist George Soros with the Presidential Medal of Freedom — a move that might as well have been lab-engineered for maximum MAGA meltdown.

Zoom out: Partisan catnip aside, the bulk of Biden's lame-duck agenda has been aimed at extending the longevity of his core policy themes, primarily through a flurry of rules and regulations finalized in recent weeks.

• The latest: New consumer rules banning medical debt from being included on credit reports, which the White House touted as an example of making "every day count" in advancing Biden's economic vision.
• Biden also issued a sweeping executive order Monday blocking about 625 million acres of offshore areas from future oil and gas drilling, potentially hindering Trump's plans to quickly scale up fossil fuel production.
• Trump expressed disbelief at the move on Hugh Hewitt's radio show Monday, and later complained on Truth Social: "Biden is doing everything possible to make the TRANSITION as difficult as possible."

Reality check: Incoming Trump chief of staff Susie Wiles told Axios that the White House has been "very helpful" during the transition, despite the policy differences.

• That's not to mention Congress' uneventful 30-minute certification of Trump's victory on Jan. 6 — a striking contrast with the unprecedented political violence of four years ago.

What they're saying: "After inheriting an economy in freefall and skyrocketing violent crime, President Biden is proud to leave his successor the best-performing economy on earth, the lowest violent crime rates in over 50 years, and the lowest border crossings in over four years," White House spokesman Andrew Bates told Axios in a statement.

Between the lines: Biden, who declared "America is back" when he took office four years ago, has remained deeply engaged on global issues as he seeks to Trump-proof his legacy.

• He's continued to rush aid to Ukraine, and after the election approved Kyiv's request to strike deep inside Russia with American-made missiles — prompting claims of sabotage from Trump and his allies.
• A staunch Zionist, Biden also has refused to bow to progressive pressure to cut off military support to Israel — and even approved an $8 billion arms sale last week, while still working to secure a hostage deal in Gaza.
• "I might be the oldest president, but I know more world leaders than any one of you have ever met in your whole goddamn life," a feisty Biden scolded reporters at the White House on Sunday.

The intrigue: The clearest sign of Biden relying on gut instincts in his final days is his decision to block Nippon Steel's $14.9 billion takeover of U.S. Steel — a position that he and Trump share.

• Biden overruled several of his top advisers, including Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen and national security adviser Jake Sullivan, in blocking the Japanese giant's acquisition, according to the Washington Post.
• Instead, "Scranton Joe" sided with the United Steelworkers union to ensure that the company remains American-owned — even at the risk of potential job losses and plant closures.

What to watch: The "Dark Brandon" era could end with preemptive pardons for Democrats and government officials targeted for retribution by Trump, including Anthony Fauci.