Vance clarifies stance on January 6 pardons

US Vice President-elect JD Vance has clarified the incoming administration’s position on pardoning people convicted over the January 2021 Capitol riots, stating that those who committed violence should still face punishment.

In an interview with Fox News’ Shannon Bream on Sunday, Vance said the issue of pardons is “very simple.” He emphasized that President-elect Donald Trump’s administration would focus on addressing the “unfair prosecutions” of peaceful protesters, noting that some nonviolent demonstrators faced harsher penalties than others.

On January 6 four years ago, supporters of then-President Donald Trump stormed the US Capitol in an attempt to disrupt the certification of President Joe Biden’s 2020 election victory. The attack resulted in multiple deaths, injuries to law enforcement officers, and significant property damage.

“If you protested peacefully on January 6th, and you’ve had Merrick Garland’s Department of Justice treat you like a gang member, you should be pardoned. If you committed violence on that day, obviously you shouldn’t be pardoned,” Vance said, adding that some cases were more complex and would require careful review.

“There’s a little bit of a gray area there, but we’re very much committed to seeing the equal administration of law,” he continued, noting that “there are a lot of people, we think, in the wake of January the 6th who were prosecuted unfairly. We need to rectify that.”

Trump previously stated that he planned to review the cases of January 6 defendants and begin issuing pardons immediately upon returning to office. “First day, I’m looking first day,” Trump said in an interview with NBC News’ Kristen Welker. He added that many of the defendants had been in prison for years, and called their treatment “very unfair.” He also promised to review “individual cases” before taking action.

While Trump has referred to some of those convicted as “hostages” and vowed to address what he perceives as injustice, he has not specified which individuals would receive clemency. His campaign previously suggested that pardons would be issued on a case-by-case basis.

More than 1,200 people have been charged in connection with the January 6 attack, of whom over 700 have been sentenced, according to the Department of Justice. Some defendants have received lengthy prison terms, while others have been slapped with fines or probation.

Trump will take office on January 20, 2025, with JD Vance as his vice president. The administration is expected to begin reviewing January 6-related prosecutions immediately upon assuming power.