SUBSCRIBE TO OUR FREE NEWSLETTER
Daily news & progressive opinion—funded by the people, not the corporations—delivered straight to your inbox.
5
#000000
#FFFFFF
5
#000000
#FFFFFF
A mob of then-President Donald Trump's supporters invade the U.S. Capitol on January 6, 2021 in Washington, D.C.
(Photo: Roberto Schmidt/AFP via Getty Images)
Trump Says Freeing Insurrectionists Would Be One of His 'First Acts'
Presumptive GOP presidential nominee Donald Trump has repeatedly vowed to pardon those who took part in the January 6, 2021 attack on the U.S. Capitol.
Mar 12, 2024
Former President Donald Trump posted on Truth Social on Monday night that freeing the people who were imprisoned for their involvement in the January 6th insurrection would be one of his "first acts" if he returns to the White House.
"My first acts as your next President will be to Close the Border, DRILL, BABY, DRILL, and Free the January 6th Hostages being wrongfully imprisoned!" Trump posted.
Trump says one of his “first acts” if elected president would be to free Jan. 6 rioters from jail time for crimes in connection with trying to stop the certification of the 2020 result. pic.twitter.com/IX6yZbtdtu
— Sahil Kapur (@sahilkapur) March 12, 2024
This isn't the first time Trump has said he would free the prisoners, but him saying it would be one of his "first acts" indicates that he sees it as a priority. He's also been referring to the prisoners as "hostages" in recent months.
The prisoners have been charged with everything from assault to seditious conspiracy.
"Trump is out there saying he's going to pardon people who engaged in political violence, who bloodied and wounded and hospitalized 150 of our officers," Rep. Jamie Raskin (D-Md.) said in January.
"We better believe him. I mean, he pardoned Roger Stone, a political criminal; he pardoned Michael Flynn, his disgraced former national security adviser," Raskin added. "Now he wants to pardon the shock troops of January 6, so he will have this roving band of people willing to commit political violence and insurrection for him—how dangerous is that?”
Three states have attempted to remove Trump from the ballot due to his involvement in the January 6th insurrection—on the grounds that Section 3 of the 14th Amendment disqualifies him—but the Supreme Court ruled last week that Congress would have to act for that to happen.
The Supreme Court will rule on whether Trump has presidential immunity in the January 6th case in Washington, D.C. next month.
Why Your Ongoing Support Is Essential
Donald Trump’s attacks on democracy, justice, and a free press are escalating — putting everything we stand for at risk. We believe a better world is possible, but we can’t get there without your support. Common Dreams stands apart. We answer only to you — our readers, activists, and changemakers — not to billionaires or corporations. Our independence allows us to cover the vital stories that others won’t, spotlighting movements for peace, equality, and human rights. Right now, our work faces unprecedented challenges. Misinformation is spreading, journalists are under attack, and financial pressures are mounting. As a reader-supported, nonprofit newsroom, your support is crucial to keep this journalism alive. Whatever you can give — $10, $25, or $100 — helps us stay strong and responsive when the world needs us most. Together, we’ll continue to build the independent, courageous journalism our movement relies on. Thank you for being part of this community. |
Our work is licensed under Creative Commons (CC BY-NC-ND 3.0). Feel free to republish and share widely.
Former President Donald Trump posted on Truth Social on Monday night that freeing the people who were imprisoned for their involvement in the January 6th insurrection would be one of his "first acts" if he returns to the White House.
"My first acts as your next President will be to Close the Border, DRILL, BABY, DRILL, and Free the January 6th Hostages being wrongfully imprisoned!" Trump posted.
Trump says one of his “first acts” if elected president would be to free Jan. 6 rioters from jail time for crimes in connection with trying to stop the certification of the 2020 result. pic.twitter.com/IX6yZbtdtu
— Sahil Kapur (@sahilkapur) March 12, 2024
This isn't the first time Trump has said he would free the prisoners, but him saying it would be one of his "first acts" indicates that he sees it as a priority. He's also been referring to the prisoners as "hostages" in recent months.
The prisoners have been charged with everything from assault to seditious conspiracy.
"Trump is out there saying he's going to pardon people who engaged in political violence, who bloodied and wounded and hospitalized 150 of our officers," Rep. Jamie Raskin (D-Md.) said in January.
"We better believe him. I mean, he pardoned Roger Stone, a political criminal; he pardoned Michael Flynn, his disgraced former national security adviser," Raskin added. "Now he wants to pardon the shock troops of January 6, so he will have this roving band of people willing to commit political violence and insurrection for him—how dangerous is that?”
Three states have attempted to remove Trump from the ballot due to his involvement in the January 6th insurrection—on the grounds that Section 3 of the 14th Amendment disqualifies him—but the Supreme Court ruled last week that Congress would have to act for that to happen.
The Supreme Court will rule on whether Trump has presidential immunity in the January 6th case in Washington, D.C. next month.
Former President Donald Trump posted on Truth Social on Monday night that freeing the people who were imprisoned for their involvement in the January 6th insurrection would be one of his "first acts" if he returns to the White House.
"My first acts as your next President will be to Close the Border, DRILL, BABY, DRILL, and Free the January 6th Hostages being wrongfully imprisoned!" Trump posted.
Trump says one of his “first acts” if elected president would be to free Jan. 6 rioters from jail time for crimes in connection with trying to stop the certification of the 2020 result. pic.twitter.com/IX6yZbtdtu
— Sahil Kapur (@sahilkapur) March 12, 2024
This isn't the first time Trump has said he would free the prisoners, but him saying it would be one of his "first acts" indicates that he sees it as a priority. He's also been referring to the prisoners as "hostages" in recent months.
The prisoners have been charged with everything from assault to seditious conspiracy.
"Trump is out there saying he's going to pardon people who engaged in political violence, who bloodied and wounded and hospitalized 150 of our officers," Rep. Jamie Raskin (D-Md.) said in January.
"We better believe him. I mean, he pardoned Roger Stone, a political criminal; he pardoned Michael Flynn, his disgraced former national security adviser," Raskin added. "Now he wants to pardon the shock troops of January 6, so he will have this roving band of people willing to commit political violence and insurrection for him—how dangerous is that?”
Three states have attempted to remove Trump from the ballot due to his involvement in the January 6th insurrection—on the grounds that Section 3 of the 14th Amendment disqualifies him—but the Supreme Court ruled last week that Congress would have to act for that to happen.
The Supreme Court will rule on whether Trump has presidential immunity in the January 6th case in Washington, D.C. next month.
We've had enough. The 1% own and operate the corporate media. They are doing everything they can to defend the status quo, squash dissent and protect the wealthy and the powerful. The Common Dreams media model is different. We cover the news that matters to the 99%. Our mission? To inform. To inspire. To ignite change for the common good. How? Nonprofit. Independent. Reader-supported. Free to read. Free to republish. Free to share. With no advertising. No paywalls. No selling of your data. Thousands of small donations fund our newsroom and allow us to continue publishing. Can you chip in? We can't do it without you. Thank you.