Donald Trump has officially made good on a campaign promise: he’s pardoned January 6th rioters. Thousands of them.
In a sweeping act of clemency, Trump issued pardons for around 1,500 defendants who were charged with crimes related to the January 6th attack on the United State Capitol Building. He has also commuted the sentences of 14 supporters, some of whom were set to spend decades in prison. The rioters’ charges range from disorderly conduct and unlawful entry, to more serious crimes such as aggravated assault and seditious conspiracy.
Trump’s mass pardons go against statements made by Vice President J.D. Vance, who said that rioters convicted of violent crimes would not be pardoned. This did not turn out to be the case, and the President proved himself to be “a despicable liar” for signaling otherwise.
Nearly 200 people charged with serious crimes were granted clemency. Former Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi, who was present at the Capitol during the time of the attack, called the pardons “shameful” and a “betrayal of police officers” who defended her and fellow lawmakers from intruders. Trump’s voters are guilty of that betrayal as well. Though “back the blue” is emblazoned across MAGA-branded hats and t-shirts, Trump’s supporters proved that were willing to forget the slogan and use deadly force against police officers when it suited them. The family of Brian Sicknick, a Capitol police officer who died a day after he was injured during the riot, called Trump’s “undoing of justice.”
As this user suggests, American cynicism toward the two party political system is at an all time high. According to findings from the Pew Research Center, U.S. citizens’ trust in the government has been plummeting for decades, and reached record lows in the 21st century. According to a similar Gallup pole, American’s trust in the political system has “never been lower.” Trump’s administration will likely only make it worse. While Trump has made good on one of his most toxic campaign promises, he walked back many of his promises that could have actually helped Americans. In the lead up to his presidency, Trump promised to bring the price of groceries “way down,” but has since claimed it will be “very hard” to do so. “Despicable liar is a prerequisite for a politician,” after all.
Other users expressed a similar sentiment. “Expect the worst and you won’t be disappointed.” Sadly, the worst is yet to come in the Trump administration. One of Trump’s most aggressive campaign promises was his “mass deportation” plan to forcibly remove millions of undocumented migrants from U.S. soil. On day one of his presidency he turned that plan into a reality, and tasked the United States military with orders to assist in deportation efforts at the southern border.
While Trump is famous for his tendency to lie, he appears to be telling the truth when it comes to his most destructive campaign promises, and that is what Americans should fear most.
Published: Jan 22, 2025 05:44 am