On his first day back in office, President Donald Trump issued sweeping clemency for individuals convicted in connection with the January 6, 2021, Capitol attack. Trump fully pardoned Enrique Tarrio, the former Proud Boys leader serving a 22-year sentence for sedition, and commuted the sentences of 14 others, including Oath Keepers founder Stewart Rhodes and several Proud Boys leaders, to time served. Rhodes and other high-profile defendants had been convicted of seditious conspiracy in what the Justice Department called one of its most significant investigations.
The proclamation also directed the Justice Department to dismiss pending cases against roughly 470 remaining defendants and release all Jan. 6 prisoners immediately. Trump described the rioters as “hostages” and argued that most “didn’t do stuff wrong.” His decision sparked criticism from Democrats and some Republicans who differentiated between nonviolent protesters and those who committed acts of violence.
The clemency follows years of Trump portraying Jan. 6 defendants as political prisoners and aligns with his pledge for broad pardons. However, some allies, including Vice President J.D. Vance, had urged caution about pardoning individuals convicted of violence. Critics, including Sen. Patty Murray (D-Wash.), condemned the actions as undermining accountability for the attack.
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