Trump Vows Pardons, Government Apology For January 6 Defendants

Donald Trump vowed, assuming he were to run and win a second term in 2024, to pardon convicted protesters from the January 6 riot at the Capitol.
Screenshot: YouTube Video, The Independent YouTube Channel

Donald Trump vowed, assuming he were to run and win a second term in 2024, to pardon convicted protesters from the January 6 riot at the Capitol.

“I mean full pardons with an apology to many,” he told conservative radio host Wendy Bell.

Trump also revealed that he has been “financially supporting” some of the defendants and railed against federal prosecutors who, in his view, are treating them harshly.

“They were in my office actually two days ago. It’s very much on my mind. It’s a disgrace what they’ve done to them. What they’ve done to these people, it’s disgraceful,” said Trump.

Trump has yet to officially announce a run in 2024, though he has hinted often and strongly.

RELATED: MAGA Rep Marjorie Taylor Greene Calls For Biden’s Impeachment Following ‘President Butterbeans’ Divisive Speech

Trump Vows January 6 Pardons, Biden Calls Them Enemies of the Nation

The former President’s comments came hours before Joe Biden delivered a thoroughly divisive speech slamming ‘MAGA Republicans’ as a threat to the nation.

“There is no question that the Republican Party today is dominated, driven, and intimidated by Donald Trump and the MAGA Republicans, and that is a threat to this country,” Biden told supporters Thursday night.

Biden then asserted a need to level with the American people about the supposed dangers presented by their Republican-voting friends and family.

“It is my duty — my duty to level with you, to tell the truth no matter how difficult, no matter how painful,” he continued. 
 
“And here, in my view, is what is true: MAGA Republicans do not respect the Constitution.  They do not believe in the rule of law.  They do not recognize the will of the people,” said Biden. “They refuse to accept the results of a free election.”

This is rich coming from a man who once agreed with a voter that Trump was an “illegitimate president in my mind” and even suggested the 2022 midterms “could easily be illegitimate.”

RELATED: Mitch McConnell At Odds With Trump: Opposes Pardons For January 6 Rioters

RINOs Don’t Support the Pardons

This isn’t the first time Trump has mentioned pardons for January 6 rioters, a platform which puts him at odds with some GOP Senators.

“If I run, and if I win, we will treat those people from January 6 fairly. We will treat them fairly,” he vowed in January. “If that requires pardons, we will give them pardons, because they are being treated so unfairly.”

Those comments led to Lindsey Graham (R-SC) and Mitch McConnell (R-KY) nearly having an aneurysm.

“I would not be in favor of shortening any of the sentences for any of the people who pleaded guilty to crimes,” McConnell responded.

Graham flatly opposed the move saying, “No, I don’t want to send any signal that it was OK to defile the Capitol.”

Added Graham: “I think it’s inappropriate … I don’t want to do anything that would make this more likely in the future.”

[totalpoll id=”248362″]

Do you know what’s more likely to lead to riots in the future? This kind of crap …

At a rally in February, Trump reiterated his promise to treat January 6 defendants fairly by issuing pardons. In an interview around the same time, he responded to Graham’s comments.

“Well, Lindsey Graham’s wrong. I mean, Lindsey’s a nice guy, but he’s a RINO. Lindsey’s wrong,” Trump said.

“Lindsey Graham doesn’t know what the hell he’s talking about if he says that,” he added.

On Thursday he accused federal prosecutors in the “radical left system” of being “sick” over the way they treat Capitol riot defendants.

“These people are sick. There’s something wrong with them. Nobody’s ever seen anything like it. They’re sick. And they’re cold,” he said. “They’re the most coldhearted people, they don’t care about families, they don’t care about anything.”

Now is the time to support and share the sources you trust.
The Political Insider ranks #3 on Feedspot’s “100 Best Political Blogs and Websites.”

Rusty Weiss has been covering politics for over 15 years. His writings have appeared in the Daily Caller, Fox... More about Rusty Weiss

Mentioned in this article: