Donald Trump Pardons Roughly 1,500 Jan. 6 Rioters on First Day in Office

President Donald Trump followed through on his promise to quickly pardon Jan. 6, 2021, rioters after taking office, announcing hours into his presidency on Monday, Jan. 20, that he was pardoning about 1,500 people who were charged in the attack.

Trump also commuted the sentences for leaders of the Oath Keepers and Proud Boys, reports The Associated Press.

“These are the hostages,” Trump said in the Oval Office, per CNN. “Approximately 1,500 for a pardon – full pardon.”

The Jan. 6 investigation became the largest criminal probe in history over the past four years. Nearly 1,600 people have been arrested in connection with the 2021 Capitol riot, and CNN estimates that almost 1,300 have been convicted.

Roughly 174 defendants were charged with using a dangerous weapon against police officers, according to CNN.

Leading up to the deadly 2021 riot, Trump and his allies had entertained a wild card theory that — if the results of the 2020 election were not certified by Congress — Joe Biden could be kept from assuming the presidency.

On the morning of Jan. 6, 2021, just before the House and Senate convened to certify the election results, Trump’s most loyal supporters gathered at The Ellipse in Washington, D.C., for a “Stop the Steal” rally headlined by Trump himself.

“If you don’t fight like Hell, you’re not going to have a country anymore,” Trump told the crowd during his speech, before urging them to march to the Capitol.

“We’re going to try and give our Republicans — the weak ones, because the strong ones don’t need any of our help — we’re going to try and give them the kind of pride and boldness that they need to take back our country,” he added.

Over the next few hours, rioters descended upon the U.S. Capitol and violently overtook police, leading to the injuries of about 150 officers.

Capitol Police Officer Brian Sicknick died the following day of complications from a blood clot, with a medical examiner acknowledging that the insurrection “played a role” in the medical emergency.

Four officers who were involved in defending the Capitol died of suicide in the wake of the incident.

Prior to winning the 2024 presidential election, Trump himself faced criminal charges for his alleged role in inciting the Jan. 6 riot.

In an August 2023 indictment, a federal grand jury charged him with conspiring to defraud the United States, conspiring against rights, conspiring to obstruct an official proceeding, and obstructing or attempting to obstruct an official proceeding.

Trump pleaded not guilty to all charges and ultimately avoided a trial after a series of delays pushed the date past the November election.

Once Trump became president-elect, the Department of Justice dropped all charges – though in special counsel Jack Smith’s final report on the investigation, he asserted that the DOJ would have been able to secure a conviction if Trump had faced a jury.