In a major move, President Trump granted pardons to approximately 1,500 individuals involved in the January 6, 2021, Capitol riot. The action aligns with his earlier promise to provide clemency to those who participated in the insurrection aimed at halting the certification of Electoral College votes.
Trump, who had just been sworn in as the 47th President, issued the pardons shortly after returning from inaugural events. He stated that those pardoned had been incarcerated for an extended period, often in harsh conditions. “They’ve been in jail for a long time already. Some murderers serve fewer sentences than these people,” he remarked, criticizing the treatment of the rioters.
In addition to the pardons, Trump signed six commutations and noted that the Justice Department had charged 1,575 people for their roles in the riot, sparked by false claims of election fraud. While Trump didn’t specify whether any of those pardoned had assaulted police, he suggested that many involved were “outside agitators” and criticized the FBI’s role.
Trump, who was impeached by the House of Representatives for allegedly inciting the riot, reiterated that the treatment of the rioters was unjust, especially when compared to those involved in the 2020 anti-police protests. He expressed frustration over the harsh sentencing and vowed to review more cases on an individual basis.
In his inaugural address, Trump vowed to release what he called “our great hostages”—a reference to the imprisoned rioters. “They didn’t do anything wrong, for the most part,” he said.
The move comes after Trump had hinted at issuing pardons during his 2022 rally speeches and doubled down on his commitment to act swiftly after his return to office. He also suggested that some exceptions might be made for those deemed “radical” or “crazy.”
Trump’s actions were framed in contrast to President Biden’s recent pardon for his son Hunter, which Trump used as an example of what he viewed as a miscarriage of justice.
