Donald Trump Commits To Pardoning January 6th Defendants On First Day In Office

Donald Trump has confirmed that he will be looking to conduct mass pardons of January 6th defendants upon taking office on January 20, 2025. When asked about his plans to conduct the pardons, Trump told Meet The Press that he would look at each case on an individual basis and act quickly to pardon the January 6th defendants who stormed the Capitol Building less than four years ago. 

Trump went on to claim that the defendants had been held in inhumane conditions, referring to the D.C. jail where the defendants have been held pre-trial. Many Republicans on Capitol Hill have long complained about the conditions of the D.C. jail, despite not caring about prison conditions prior to the January 6th insurrection. 

Whether Trump fulfills his promise, however, remains to be seen. Several January 6th defendants have been convicted of violent criminal offenses, including offenses against Capitol Police Officers. If he does not conduct blanket pardons, it will draw strong pushback from his MAGA base.