Trump Promises to Pardon Jan. 6 Defendants if Re-Elected

Former President Donald Trump vows to release individuals who were “wrongfully imprisoned” after being convicted in connection with the Jan. 6, 2021 protests at the U.S. Capitol if elected for a second term.

In a post on his Truth Social account, Trump stated, “My first acts as your next President will be to Close the Border, DRILL, BABY, DRILL, and Free the January 6 Hostages being wrongfully imprisoned!”

The statement comes after the House Administration Subcommittee on Oversight released an 81-page report highlighting inconsistencies and lack of corroboration in the testimony of former White House aide Cassidy Hutchinson.

Trump has previously called on President Joe Biden to release the Jan. 6 defendants, but this post marks the first time he has mentioned it as a Day One priority if re-elected, according to NBC News.

The former president has referred to the jailed defendants as “hostages,” a term the White House has described as “grotesque.”

Prosecutors have secured over 950 convictions and charged 1,350 individuals in connection with the Jan. 6 incidents, with nearly 500 people sentenced to prison or jail, according to the U.S. attorney’s office in Washington, D.C.

Last year, Trump pledged to pardon a “large portion” of the defendants early on.

Facing felony charges related to the Jan. 6 protests, Trump denies any wrongdoing and has pleaded not guilty. He asserts immunity from criminal prosecution, with the Supreme Court set to hear oral arguments on April 25 in a case that could impact whether he will face trial before the November election.