Trump said he was also commuting the sentences of six defendants, though the White House did not immediately provide further details.
President Donald Trump announced on Monday that he was granting pardons to approximately 1,500 of his supporters who were charged in connection with the January 6, 2021, siege on the U.S. Capitol. This move was made as one of the first actions of his return to office, effectively halting the extensive investigation and prosecution efforts carried out by the Justice Department.
The decision to pardon these individuals was anticipated, given Trump’s ongoing efforts to downplay the severity of the January 6th attack, which resulted in numerous injuries to law enforcement officers and posed a threat to the democratic process. However, the scale of the pardons dealt a significant blow to the Justice Department’s pursuit of accountability for those involved in what has been labeled as a dark day in American history.
Trump said he was also commuting the sentences of six defendants, though the White House did not immediately provide further details.
Leading up to this decision, Trump had hinted at his intention to review each case of the January 6 defendants individually. Despite recent remarks from Vice President JD Vance suggesting that those responsible for the violence at the Capitol riot should not be pardoned, Trump proceeded with his sweeping clemency actions.
