Trump Defends His Pardons For Jan. 6 Attack On Capitol

President Donald Trump is defending one of his most divisive actions since returning to the White House — pardoning nearly everyone convicted in the Jan. 6 assault on the Capitol.

Trump in a news conference Tuesday was dismissive of the effort to prosecute nearly 1,600 people for their roles in a riot by supporters seeking to keep him in power after he lost the 2020 election to Joe Biden.

“I thought it was very excessive,” Trump told reporters. “At least the cases we looked at, these were people that actually love our country, so we thought a pardon would be appropriate.”

In an action far more sweeping than he had telegraphed during the campaign, the president on Monday pardoned about 1,000 people convicted in the attack, commuted the sentences of 14 and directed authorities to dismiss pending cases for several hundred more.

His clemency included people who had assaulted Capitol and DC police officers as well as leaders of the Proud Boys and Oath Keepers convicted of seditious conspiracy, essentially trying to overthrow the U.S. government.

The president justified the pardons by claiming, without explanation, that people who have committed murder in some cities have not been punished. “They’ve served years in jail. And murderers don’t even go to jail in this country,” he told reporters.

His decision to issue the pardons drew criticism even from some Republicans in Congress and apparently does not sit well with the public. A Reuters poll released Tuesday found that about 58% of respondents said Trump should not pardon all people convicted of crimes for Jan. 6.

Trump had said he would issue some pardons to people convicted for their actions on Jan. 6 but did not provide details of his plans. Vice President JD Vance said in recent days that those who were convicted of violent offenses should “obviously” not be pardoned.

Asked about the vice president’s remarks, Trump said that some of those convicted had already served years in jail. “ Their lives have been ruined,” Trump said. “And if you look at the American public, the American public is tired of it.”