On Wednesday night, Sean Hannity, a prominent media supporter of Donald Trump, turned the tables and questioned the President regarding his choice to pardon individuals convicted of assaulting police during the Jan. 6 riots.
On the inaugural day of his second term, Trump enacted a contentious executive order aimed at overturning convictions associated with a range of dubious individuals. Of the approximately 1,500 convictions that were either pardoned or commuted, around 600 involved individuals accused of attacking, resisting, or obstructing police as rioters approached the Capitol building.
In his first exclusive interview after returning to the Oval Office, Trump told Hannity, an old friend, that these incidents were merely “minor.” Hannity pointed out that Trump had campaigned on a promise to release Jan. 6 rioters but queried why that included those who assaulted law enforcement—an action typically met with strict opposition from Republicans.
“The only pushback I’ve encountered pertains to individuals who were convicted or involved in violent encounters with police. Why were they pardoned?” Hannity inquired.
In his reply, Trump asserted that the individuals had completed their sentences. “There are several reasons. First, they had been incarcerated for three-and-a-half years—a considerable duration—and many were in solitary confinement, treated worse than anyone ever has been. They were treated terribly,” he claimed.
“They endured conditions that resembled those experienced by the most heinous criminals in history, and do you know why they were there? They were protesting the election results because they believed the election was rigged, and they were within their rights to protest the election. You have the right to protest,” he stated.
In an unexpected turn, Hannity countered the President. He interjected, “But they shouldn’t have stormed the Capitol.”
Trump elaborated, momentarily sidestepping the controversial actions. “Disregarding that, most of these individuals were completely innocent. However, putting that aside, they have suffered immensely, enduring a lengthy time. It would be exceedingly complex to investigate—can you comprehend how many we’re discussing? 1,500 people,” he remarked.
He asserted that certain incidents involving law enforcement were “quite minor,” before pivoting to criticize CNN and address serious crimes occurring in Philadelphia and Los Angeles. “Additionally, it’s worth noting that some incidents involving the police were indeed minor. They are exaggerated by those few individuals on CNN who constantly promote false narratives. They were trivial matters, and it was time for action. Meanwhile, murderers roam free in Philadelphia and Los Angeles without facing consequences,” he said.
He then reiterated one of his familiar assertions, labeling the entire situation as a “hoax.” “This was a politically motivated hoax, and I’m not claiming that’s true for every case, but there was a substantial amount of patriotism among those individuals. A significant amount of patriotism,” he continued, before Hannity shifted the discussion to Joe Biden.
Michael Fanone, a former police officer from Washington, D.C., was likely among the “fake individuals” Trump referenced in his criticism. Daniel Rodriguez admitted guilt for using a stun gun, striking Fanone’s neck multiple times. Fanone expressed that he feared for his life that day and has vocally opposed Trump and his rhetoric surrounding the Capitol riots, feeling like a target placed there by the Trump Administration.
Julian Khater, another individual pardoned by Trump, was found guilty of assaulting police, including the late Brian Sicknick, who suffered two strokes and died one day after being pepper sprayed during the insurrection. Although the medical examiner attributed his death to “natural causes,” they acknowledged that “all that transpired played a role in his condition.”
The Sicknick family condemned the President’s decision as a “betrayal of decency.” Craig Sicknick, Brian’s brother, labeled Trump a “poor excuse for a man.”
Senator Cory Booker, who was present at Trump’s inauguration, deemed the pardons “unacceptable.” Khater had received a sentence of over six years. “If not for this, their family members might still be alive today. The individual filmed attacking Brian Sicknick has now been pardoned by this President, and that is unacceptable to me,” Booker stated.
In May 2023, Florida resident Daniel Ball faced charges for twelve offenses related to that infamous day. Just earlier this week, Ball, who had been pardoned by Trump, allegedly “violently pushed” against police at the Lower West Terrace entrance before throwing an explosive device inside, as detailed in an FBI affidavit.
Most alarmingly, 14 individuals connected to the extremist groups Oath Keepers and Proud Boys received commutations. Although their felony convictions will remain, the President authorized their release from prison.
Officers have reported injuries including “cracked ribs, traumatic brain injuries, smashed spinal discs, and heart attacks,” as reported by NPR.
