President-elect Donald Trump has vowed to pardon individuals involved in the January 6 Capitol riot on his first day back in office, a promise that underscores the ongoing debate over the scope of presidential pardon powers.
Fox News reported that Trump's commitment to expedite pardons for the rioters comes amidst recent criticisms of President Biden's pardon of his son, Hunter Biden.
During a recent interview on NBC with Kristen Welker, Trump detailed his plans to address what he termed the "unfair treatment" of the January 6 rioters. He expressed his intent to act on their pardons immediately upon assuming office.
"First day, I'm looking first day. These people have been there — how long is it? Three, four years," Trump stated, highlighting the duration the rioters have been imprisoned and the conditions of their incarceration.
"They’ve been in there for years. And they’re in a filthy, disgusting place that shouldn’t even be allowed to be open," he added.
The proposed pardons have reignited discussions about the use of presidential pardons. Politico reported that discussions have occurred among Biden's senior aides about possible preemptive pardons for key political figures like Liz Cheney and Senator-elect Adam Schiff, which were orchestrated by White House counsel Ed Siskel.
The New York Times editorial board weighed in on the implications of such pardons. They pointed out that Biden's pardon of his son could complicate the ethical landscape, providing fodder for Trump to justify his actions.
"It is easy to imagine the ‘they did it too’ defenses being offered should Mr. Trump pardon the perpetrators of the violent Jan. 6 attack on the Capitol, as he has suggested he will. Hunter Biden’s crimes are not nearly equivalent to the destruction caused by the rioters, but his father’s action muddles the defenses against future abuses," the board noted.
Last week, President Biden pardoned Hunter Biden for any alleged offenses between January 1, 2014, and December 1, 2024.
This decision came amidst allegations of unfair targeting by the Department of Justice, an accusation Biden has vociferously denied.
"From the day I took office, I said I would not interfere with the Justice Department’s decision-making, and I kept my word even as I have watched my son being selectively, and unfairly, prosecuted," Biden wrote in a statement defending his decision.
Trump countered this during his interview, suggesting that Biden’s actions indicate a misuse of power that justifies his planned pardons.
"I’m going to look at everything. We’ll look at individual cases," Trump asserted, underscoring his quick action plan. "But I’m going to be acting very quickly," he reiterated.
When pressed by Welker on whether he would direct the FBI to pursue jail sentences for members of the January 6 committee like Liz Cheney, Trump dismissed the idea, focusing instead on energy policies.
"No, not at all. I think that they’ll have to look at that, but I’m not going to — I’m going to focus on drill, baby, drill," he stated, indicating his priorities for domestic energy production over political retribution.
