President-elect Donald Trump has made his intentions clear: on the first day of his presidency, he plans to issue pardons to those accused of participating in the January 6 Capitol riot. While this announcement has drawn sharp criticism from many, Senate Republicans appear poised to back the move, framing it as consistent with the broad pardon authority of the presidency.
As The Hill reported, Senate Minority Leader John Thune referenced President Joe Biden’s controversial pardon of his son, Hunter Biden, when asked about Trump’s proposal.
“As we found from Hunter Biden, the president’s pardon authority is pretty extensive. That’s obviously a decision he’ll have to make,” Thune said on Wednesday.
Echoing this sentiment, Texas Republican Senator John Cornyn noted the expansive nature of presidential pardons. “We’ve seen what President Biden did with his son, and presidents have that prerogative. It really doesn’t involve Congress,” Cornyn remarked.
Meanwhile, Senator Bill Cassidy of Louisiana, one of the seven GOP senators who voted to convict Trump during his second impeachment trial, offered a more cautious response. “He said he would pardon some of them. I don’t know what ‘some of them’ means. And so I would just like to see what that means before I comment on them,” Cassidy told reporters.
Trump reiterated his stance during a recent interview with NBC’s Kristen Welker, stating unequivocally that pardoning January 6 defendants would be a top priority.
“Yeah, I’m looking first day,” Trump said. “We’re going to look at individual cases. But I’m going to be acting very quickly.”
The former president had made similar promises throughout his campaign, including during a rally in Wisconsin this past September. At that event, Trump vowed, “The moment we win, we will rapidly review the cases of every political prisoner unjustly victimized by the Harris regime, and I will sign their pardons on Day 1.”
While many GOP senators support Trump’s plan to pardon January 6 defendants, they were more reserved when asked about his comments targeting the members of the House Select Committee that investigated the riot.
During his interview with Welker, Trump expressed his belief that members of the now-disbanded January 6 committee should face jail time. He specifically called out former committee chairman Rep. Bennie Thompson (D-MS) and former vice-chair Rep. Liz Cheney (R-WY), suggesting they had engaged in wrongdoing.
“I think with respect to the committee … if there’s something that needs to be looked at there, I’m sure the appropriate authorities will look at it,” Thune said, refraining from directly endorsing Trump’s remarks.
Trump’s plan to pardon January 6 defendants is part of his broader effort to frame them as political prisoners rather than perpetrators of a crime. His campaign frequently emphasized this narrative, with Trump asserting that the defendants were victims of a biased justice system under the Biden administration.
The issue of pardoning January 6 defendants highlights the sharp divisions in Washington. Supporters of Trump’s move argue that it’s necessary to rectify what they see as an unjust persecution of political dissidents. Critics, however, warn that pardons would undermine the rule of law and set a dangerous precedent for excusing political violence.
Trump’s willingness to pardon January 6 defendants underscores his ongoing efforts to solidify his influence over the Republican Party and energize his base. Many of his supporters view his actions as a stand against what they perceive to be a politically motivated justice system.
At the same time, the comparison to Biden’s pardon of Hunter Biden has sparked a contentious debate about the limits of presidential clemency and its potential for abuse.
With Trump poised to return to the White House, these decisions are likely to remain at the center of national political discourse. Senate Republicans, by signaling their support, are aligning themselves with Trump’s vision, further cementing the former president’s grip on the GOP.
As January 2025 approaches, all eyes will be on Trump’s first day in office to see how his pledge unfolds—and how it reshapes the political landscape moving forward.
