Trump Issues Second Pardon to Jan. 6 Defendant

Published 1 day ago

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Above: Signs belonging to families and friends of people who participated in the Jan. 6, 2021 riots on the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 22, 2025. Image credit: Celal Gunes/Anadolu/Getty Images

The Spin

Republican narrative

Trump is rightfully correcting the Biden administration's weaponization of the justice system against Americans who were targeted for their political beliefs. Biden's DOJ went after people like Kaye simply for social media posts, showing how far the government's overreach extended. These pardons represent necessary healing after years of politically motivated prosecutions.

Treniss J. Evans III on X

Ed Martin on X

Democratic narrative

Trump is dangerously rewarding political violence by pardoning Jan. 6 rioters for completely unrelated crimes, including illegal gun possession. This goes beyond correcting supposed injustices and instead incentivizes future violence by showing criminals they'll be protected if they support Trump. The Republican Party now openly endorses political violence as acceptable.

The New Republic

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Metaculus Prediction

Editor's Note

This story currently has limited reporting from right-wing sources. We will continue to monitor all major outlets and update our coverage as additional perspectives become available.