JANUARY 21, 2025
Critics are calling out President Donald Trump for issuing pardons to roughly 1,500 rioters who attacked the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, including many convicted of violent crimes such as assaulting police officers.
“I have been betrayed by my country, and I have been betrayed by those that supported Donald Trump,” Michael Fanone, a former District of Columbia police officer who was attacked by the mob, said on CNN. “Whether you voted for him because he promised these pardons or for some other reason, you knew that this was coming, and here we are.”
Other police officers also spoke out against the pardons, which Trump had repeatedly promised in his 2024 presidential campaign.
Still, the scope of the pardons stunned many, especially given that even Trump’s closest allies indicted the scope would be more limited.
“If you committed violence on that day, obviously you shouldn’t be pardoned,” Vice President JD Vance said earlier this month.
Many of Trump’s critics on social media spoke out against the move:
Hard to keep up with the various outrages, but I refuse to let the wholesale pardons get lost in the tsunami of wickedness. The more they sink in, the more sickening they are. They are, and will remain, a deep stain on our history.
— Harry Litman (@harrylitman.bsky.social)2025-01-21T01:40:09.805Z
It’s hard to think of a more disgraceful way to end a day of national disgrace.
— George Conway (@gtconway.bsky.social)2025-01-21T00:58:13.895Z
If you want to commit political violence and get away with it, wear a MAGA hat.
— Bradley P. Moss (@bradmossesq.bsky.social)2025-01-21T00:50:15.652Z
We all saw what happened on Jan 6. It was horrific! National trauma. Imagine how the Capitol police feel tonight. This is sickening
— Mia Farrow (@miafarrow.bsky.social)2025-01-21T02:13:28.638Z
Trump has his own brownshirts now. Trump pardons almost all involved in Jan. 6 riot, commutes remaining 14 sentences wapo.st/40FABBn
Pardoning violent thugs who attacked the US Capitol and assaulted cops to subvert an American election is quite fascistic.No rule of law. No law and order. All that matters is following the Dear Leader, who incited violence with lies. This is a violation of his oath to protect the Constitution.
— David Corn (@davidcorn.bsky.social)2025-01-21T00:52:59.443Z
The “full, complete and unconditional” pardons extend to people who were convicted of some of the worst crimes on January 6th. That group includes individuals who assaulted police officers with weapons including batons, poles, and fire extinguishers.www.cnn.com/2025/01/20/p…
— Andy Kaczynski (@kfile.bsky.social)2025-01-21T01:36:15.345Z
So Enrique Tarrio was one of the men who was convicted of sedition — and he’s now been released by Trump. He was sentenced to 22 years in prison for seditious conspiracy.This is what you voted for, America.This is what you wanted.
— Justin Baragona (@justinbaragona.bsky.social)2025-01-20T23:47:36.177Z
What a national disgrace.
— Dennis M Taylor (@dmt4mt.bsky.social)2025-01-21T01:21:04.608Z
Stab in the back the blue.
— Sandy N95 Masked&Covid Vax’d Democracy-Lover (@saverdemocrazy.bsky.social)2025-01-21T01:54:14.287Z
No number of pardons or lies will change what happened on January 6. Donald Trump can’t change history. It was domestic terrorism, it was treason, plain and simple.
— The Lincoln Project (@lincolnproject.us)2025-01-21T01:27:30.504Z
This is the worst day I’ve ever seen in my life as an American.
— 🇺🇸 Pithy Packy 🇳🇱 (@pithypacky.bsky.social)2025-01-21T01:52:20.227Z
A convicted felon pardoning other criminals.
Courtesy/Source: The HuffPost
