Article II of the United States Constitution gives clemency power to the U.S. President. Clemency can be provided by way of remission of fines or restitution, lessening the penalty of a major crime and pardons.

The Office of the Pardon Attorney (OPA) normally reviews all requests for pardons. However, President Trump often bypassed the OPA and granted clemency on his own. Of the 237 grants of clemency by President Trump during his first term from 2017-2021, only 25 were brought to and processed by the OPA. Under Trump’s White House, clemency was granted to people with personal or political connections to him. In his second term, which began in 2025, 1500 individuals who were charged and convicted of federal crimes were granted clemency by President Trump. Those 1,500 were convicted in the January 6, 2021 attack on the Capitol. That’s right, with the stroke of a pen, 1500 disgusting, anti-American traitors and domestic terrorists attacked the U.S. Capitol — and Trump pardoned them.

I strongly believe these particular pardons should be reversed and that all 1,500 are returned to prison where they belong. It would take an act of Congress. What they did was unspeakable and disgusting. It goes beyond any “Freedom of Speech” claim. You can shout and post signs all you want in this country, but don’t forcefully enter a building, break windows (and climb through those broken windows), push, shove, fight law enforcement. These domestic terrorists cannot claim what they did was a peaceful gathering. Anything I can do to put them back in prison where they belong will be done.