On his first day in office,  January 20, 2025, President Donald Trump issued pardons to over 1,500 individuals charged in connection with the January 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol.

 

This sweeping clemency included those convicted of assaulting law enforcement officers and leaders of far-right groups such as the Proud Boys and Oath Keepers.

Dozens of officers suffered injuries that day; five officers died afterward, one from a stroke and four by suicide.

The decision has drawn sharp criticism from police officers who defended the Capitol during the insurrection. Former Capitol Police Sergeant Aquilino Gonell described the pardons as “a betrayal, a stab in the heart,” emphasizing the sacrifices made by officers to protect the Capitol.  Similarly, former Capitol Police officer Harry Dunn called the pardons “a slap in the face,” expressing concern over the message it sends about accountability for those who attacked law enforcement.

 

One former officer called Trump’s blanket pardon “a miserable miscarriage of justice.”

The pardons have also sparked political debate. Democratic leaders have condemned the move, with Senator Chuck Schumer stating that President Trump is leading the nation to a “Golden Age” for insurrectionary criminals.