DORAL, Fla. — A prominent supporter of President Donald Trump has voiced concerns regarding the White House’s decision to pardon individuals involved in the January 6, 2021, Capitol riots, stating that it sends an inappropriate message to the public. Senator Lindsey Graham, a South Carolina Republican closely aligned with Trump, expressed his discomfort during a Sunday appearance on CNN, emphasizing that pardoning those who assaulted police sends the wrong signal regarding law enforcement protection.
Shortly after taking office last week, Trump enacted a broad clemency order granting pardons to approximately 1,500 individuals who participated in the Capitol violence, which aimed to disrupt the congressional certification of Joe Biden’s 2020 electoral victory. Among those pardoned was Stewart Rhodes, leader of the far-right Oath Keepers group, who was instrumental in planning the insurrection. Rhodes was seen attending a rally in Las Vegas over the weekend, where he stood visible and supportive behind Trump during his speech at a local hotel and casino before heading to his resort in Florida.
In response to a question regarding Rhodes’ presence at the rally, Graham stated that there were no restrictions preventing him from attending. He also highlighted that President Biden had previously used his own pardoning powers to grant clemency, including in his final moments in office when he extended pardons to family members and influential government personnel. Graham voiced his disapproval of such actions across the political spectrum, suggesting that the public generally shares this sentiment.
The senator suggested that if such practices of broad pardons continue, there may be a push to limit the presidential pardon authority altogether. He expressed serious reservations about the potential long-term implications of wide-reaching clemencies, reiterating his discomfort with pardons issued to individuals who injured law enforcement officers. Graham’s stance was consistent as he mentioned during an appearance on NBC’s “Meet the Press” that he recognized Trump’s legal right to issue these pardons; however, he lamented that it might lead to increased violence in society. He firmly stated that pardoning assailants of police during the Capitol incident was an error.
Graham is not alone in his concerns regarding Trump’s flash of pardons for the Capitol rioters. Vice President JD Vance acknowledged in an earlier statement that individuals who engaged in violent conduct during the riots should not receive pardons. Despite this, in a recent interview on CBS’s “Face the Nation,” Vance remarked that Trump and his advisors had thoroughly assessed each case of the rioters and ultimately made the right judgment in issuing the pardons.
