WASHINGTON — Vice President-elect JD Vance has made it clear that those accountable for the violent actions during the Capitol riot should not receive pardons. This statement comes as President-elect Donald Trump has indicated his intention to potentially utilize his clemency powers to assist many individuals involved in the events of January 6, 2021, who sought to challenge the election results that Trump ultimately lost.
In an interview on “Fox News Sunday,” Vance described the matter of pardoning as “very simple.” He stated that individuals who “protested peacefully” deserve clemency, while those who resorted to violence on that day “obviously” should not be pardoned. He later recognized that there could be some “gray area” in specific instances regarding the actions of participants during the riot.
Trump has boldly declared that he plans to grant pardons to those involved in the riot on “Day 1” of his presidency, which begins on January 20. He mentioned during an appearance on NBC’s “Meet the Press” that he would likely act swiftly. “Most likely, I’ll do it very quickly,” he stated, noting that “those people have suffered long and hard” and implying there may be instances where individual cases warrant different treatment. He remarked on needing to evaluate whether someone was “radical” or “crazy” in their actions during the riot.
The January 6 siege has led to over 1,500 individuals being charged with federal crimes, a situation that led to injuries for more than 100 police officers and sent lawmakers into hiding as they worked to certify Joe Biden’s victory in the 2020 election. Many individuals who didn’t participate in violence were charged with misdemeanors for unlawfully entering the Capitol, while others faced serious felony charges, including assault against law enforcement officers. Prominent members of extremist groups such as the Oath Keepers and the Proud Boys were convicted of seditious conspiracy as part of what prosecutors characterized as attempts to employ violence to prevent the peaceful transition of power from Trump to Biden.
In response to feedback from supporters of the Capitol rioters, Vance took to social media platform X to defend his stance, asserting that his viewpoint had been consistent. “I’ve been defending these guys for years,” he explained. He addressed concerns that both Trump and he emphasizing case-by-case evaluations suggested a retreat from previous positions. “The president saying he’ll look at each case (and me saying the same) is not some walkback,” Vance insisted. “I assure you, we care about people unjustly locked up. Yes, that includes people provoked and it includes people who got a garbage trial.”
