In a move that could only be described as classic Trump, President Donald Trump made good on his promise to pardon nearly all January 6 defendants on his first day back in office. During his inaugural parade, Trump announced he would sign an executive order granting clemency to over 1,500 individuals charged in connection with the January 6 Capitol breach. By Monday night, the president was seated at the Resolute Desk, pen in hand, ordering the Federal Bureau of Prisons to act immediately on the sweeping pardons.
Among those pardoned was Enrique Tarrio, the former Proud Boys chairman, who had been sentenced to 22 years for seditious conspiracy. Tarrio’s attorney confirmed that he expected his client’s release that very evening, underscoring the speed at which Trump intended to execute his decision. This dramatic gesture, aimed at what Trump has called the “J6 hostages,” marks the first of many anticipated executive orders that reflect his no-apologies approach to reshaping the national agenda.
The response from Trump’s critics was swift and, predictably, outraged. Former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi wasted no time in branding the pardons as “shameful” and accused Trump of betraying law enforcement officers who defended the Capitol on January 6. Pelosi, who conspicuously skipped Trump’s inauguration, released a statement decrying the move as an “insult to our justice system” and a slap in the face to officers who suffered injuries and trauma during the riot. Her remarks, as expected, painted a stark contrast to the triumphant tone of Trump’s camp.
While the January 6 pardons garnered the most attention, they were far from the only executive orders Trump signed on Inauguration Day. He also formally withdrew the U.S. from the Paris climate agreement, a global initiative he had previously exited in 2020 during his first term. The withdrawal signaled a clear return to Trump’s America First policies and a rejection of what he often describes as burdensome international commitments. For Trump’s supporters, these moves reaffirmed his campaign promises to prioritize national interests over global consensus.
In a last-minute twist, outgoing President Joe Biden issued his own batch of pardons just hours before Trump’s swearing-in ceremony. Biden’s clemency list included high-profile figures such as retired Gen. Mark Milley and others involved in the January 6 Select Committee investigation. While Biden insisted the pardons were not an admission of guilt, the timing and focus of his actions raised eyebrows. It was a final attempt to cement his administration’s narrative, even as Trump barreled ahead with his plans to rewrite the playbook. As the dust settles, it’s clear that the drama surrounding January 6 is far from over, with both administrations using their final hours to shape the story in starkly different ways.
