Trump pardons approximately 1500 J6 defendants: On his first evening back in the Oval Office after being sworn in, President Donald Trump began signing a series of high-profile pardons and executive orders, marking a swift start to his second term.
Trump granted clemency to approximately 1,500 individuals prosecuted under the Justice Department during President Joe Biden’s administration. He also revealed that six additional commutations were under consideration, with the hope of finalizing them promptly.
🚨 President Trump has pardoned approximately 1500 January 6th political prisoners of the Biden era pic.twitter.com/LwL2S7l5Ft
— Trump War Room (@TrumpWarRoom) January 21, 2025
Trump addressed the public earlier in the day at Capital One Arena, pledging to deliver on his campaign promises and reverse policies he characterized as unjust. “We’re going to release our great hostages who didn’t do stuff wrong,” he declared to an enthusiastic crowd.
Trump pointed to perceived double standards in the justice system, citing events in cities like Portland, Seattle, and Minneapolis where significant unrest occurred, claiming those involved faced little to no accountability.
“All they want to do is go after the J6 hostages,” Trump said, referencing individuals charged in connection with the January 6 Capitol events. “A 76-year-old grandmother was arrested the other day just for looking around the Capitol. We’re not going to put up with that crap anymore.”
Throughout his campaign, Trump vowed to review and pardon cases related to January 6, particularly those involving nonviolent offenses.
According to reports, many of the pardons signed on Monday focused on individuals convicted of misdemeanors, such as trespassing and disorderly conduct.
Under the Biden administration, over 1,580 people were charged in connection with the Capitol incident, with roughly 1,270 convictions, including more than 730 for misdemeanor offenses.
Speaking from Mar-a-Lago earlier this month, Trump reiterated his commitment to reviewing these cases. “We’re looking at it, and there are people in there who did nothing wrong. Meanwhile, others who committed real crimes weren’t prosecuted. It’s a disgrace. We’ll be making major pardons,” he said.
In addition to the pardons, Trump signed a series of executive orders, many of which reversed policies from the Biden administration. These actions reflect Trump’s stated mission to restore what he called “common sense” governance and address perceived injustices.
This historic start to Trump’s second term signals a bold agenda aimed at reshaping U.S. policies across numerous fronts.