Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., said the president Donald Trump the decision to pardon more than 1,000 people involved in the January 6, 2021 riots was “un-American.”
Schumer told reporters on Tuesday that the pardons were “deeply un-American,” noting that some of those pardoned were convicted of crimes such as conspiracy to commit treason.
“There is no other way to describe President Trump’s Jan. 6 pardon of veterans as un-American,” Schumer said. “It’s deeply un-American to do that, to pardon. And let’s be clear, President Trump didn’t just pardon protesters. He pardoned individuals convicted of assaulting police officers. He pardoned individuals convicted of seditious conspiracy. And he pardoned those who tried to undermine our democracy.”
Trump signed pardons Monday night for roughly 1,500 defendants accused of crimes stemming from the riots at the U.S. Capitol, making good on a December promise to move quickly to pardon them.
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President Donald Trump signs pardons for defendants Jan. 6 in the Oval Office of the White House on Inauguration Day in Washington, U.S., Jan. 20, 2025. (Carlos Barria/Reuters)
In addition, on Monday he commuted the sentences of six people, including the leaders of the extremist groups Oath Keepers and Proud Boys.
Schumer echoed the sentiments of former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., about the pardon. Pelosi called the pardons “disgraceful” and said to remember the “courage” of the “heroes” of the law enforcement agencies who “made sure that democracy survives”.
“The president’s actions are an outrageous affront to our justice system and the heroes who have suffered physical scars and emotional trauma while protecting the Capitol, Congress and the Constitution,” said Pelosi, who did not attend Trump’s inauguration on Monday. statement sent to X.
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U.S. President Donald Trump signs pardons for defendants Jan. 6 in the Oval Office of the White House on Inauguration Day in Washington, U.S., Jan. 20, 2025. (REUTERS/Carlos Barria)
“It is shameful that the president has chosen to make one of his top priorities the abandonment and betrayal of law enforcement officers who put their lives on the line to stop an attempt to undermine a peaceful transfer of power,” Pelosi wrote.
Rioters attacked approx 140 policemen by both the U.S. Capitol Police and the Metropolitan Police during a disturbance at the Capitol on January 6, 2021, the Department of Justice reported.
NANCY PELOSI CRITICIZES TRUMP’S ‘SHAMEFUL’ PARDON OF THE ACCUSED OF JANUARY 6
President Donald Trump holds up executive orders after signing them at a closed inauguration parade in Washington, Monday, Jan. 20, 2025. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke)
Trump announced plans to issue pardons on Monday, labeling those charged with crimes for their involvement in the Capitol attack as “hostages.”
“Tonight I’m going to sign the J6 hostages, sorry to drag them out,” Trump said at the inauguration parade at Capital One Arena. – I am going to the Oval Office and we will sign pardons for many people.
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Trump has signed a series of executive orders Inauguration Dayalong with pardons. Other directives included withdrawing the US from the Paris climate accord, which the US originally entered into under former President Barack Obama’s administration in 2015, but which Trump withdrew from during his first term.
