JD Vance says violent Jan. 6 rioters shouldn't receive pardons
Share and Follow

Vice President-elect JD Vance said Sunday who he thinks should and shouldn’t receive presidential pardons for their actions during the riot at the Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021.

“If you protested peacefully on Jan. 6 and you’ve had [Attorney General] Merrick Garland’s Department of Justice treat you like a gang member, you should be pardoned,” Vance told “Fox News Sunday.”

He added, “If you committed violence on that day, obviously you shouldn’t be pardoned.”

Vance’s comments broke slightly from what President-elect Donald Trump has laid out in his pardon plans.

In a December interview with NBC News, Trump told “Meet the Press” that on his first day in office he would pardon his supporters who rioted on Jan. 6, adding that the rioters have been prosecuted in a “very nasty system.”

“I’m going to be acting very quickly, first day,” Trump said, adding that the rioters who have been convicted have “been in there for years, and they’re in a filthy, disgusting place that shouldn’t even be allowed to be open.”

Unlike Vance, Trump did not rule out pardoning those who pleaded guilty to violent crimes such as assaulting police officers.

“Because they had no choice,” Trump said about the guilty pleas, adding: “I know the system. The system’s a very corrupt system. They say to a guy, ‘You’re going to go to jail for two years or for 30 years.’ And these guys are looking, their whole lives have been destroyed. For two years, they’ve been destroyed.”

Last week Trump reiterated that he was considering “major pardons” for Jan. 6 rioters and would not rule out including them among his list of pardons when asked.

Vance on Sunday did say “there’s a little bit of a gray area there” regarding those who committed violent acts on Jan. 6, adding that “we’re very much committed to seeing the equal administration of law.”

Later, in a post on X, Vance elaborated on his remarks, saying he and the president-elect would evaluate each Jan. 6 case individually and that violent offenders who were “provoked” would be evaluated for pardons, too.

“The president saying he’ll look at each case (and me saying the same) is not some walkback. I assure you, we care about people unjustly locked up. Yes, that includes people provoked and it includes people who got a garbage trial,” Vance wrote.

A spokesperson for the Trump transition team did not immediately respond to an NBC News request for comment on this story.

Since January 2021, more than 1,270 defendants have been convicted in connection with their actions at the Capitol and more than 1,580 have been arrested. More than 700 have completed their sentences or were never penalized with jail or prison time.

Share and Follow
You May Also Like
Oregon quarterback Dante Moore (5) is sacked by Wisconsin linebacker Mason Reiger (22) during the first half of an NCAA college football game Saturday, Oct. 25, 2025, in Eugene, Ore. (AP Photo/Lydia Ely)

Latest Insights: What’s Ahead for the AP Top 25 Rankings

Fans anticipating major upheavals in the AP Top 25 rankings might be…
The Beatles' Ringo Starr, 85, on reuniting with Paul McCartney, the mantra he lives by and what he said to Prince William

Ringo Starr, 85, Discusses Reunion with Paul McCartney, His Guiding Mantra, and Conversation with Prince William

LOS ANGELES — Legendary Beatles drummer Ringo Starr is reflecting on his…
Mom who escaped boat on fire by swimming to island with family dies

Tragic Turn: Mother Who Heroically Escaped Boat Fire by Swimming to Island with Family Passes Away

A Massachusetts woman, who courageously swam to safety following a devastating boat…
Chicago Wicker Park farmers market: Last event of 2025 season celebrates Halloween, 'Meet me on Milwaukee' on Sunday

Don’t Miss the Final Wicker Park Farmers Market of 2025: Halloween Fun and ‘Meet Me on Milwaukee’ Event This Sunday!

Sunday marked the final opportunity of the 2025 season to visit the…
Clifford Proctor, LAPD officer at one time, charged with murder in 2015 Venice shooting of unarmed homeless man Brendan Glenn

Ex-LAPD Officer Faces Murder Charges in 2015 Venice Shooting of Unarmed Homeless Man

The Los Angeles District Attorney’s Office recently revealed a grand jury indictment…
Trump administration announces requirements to pass US citizenship test have increased

Trump Administration Tightens US Citizenship Test Requirements: Stricter Standards Announced

Candidates must now correctly answer at least 12 out of a new…
Damien Brooks

Educator Assaulted Near Colorado School; Suspect Apprehended

A teacher in Colorado was hospitalized following a stabbing incident on Thursday…
Anguish over cop who 'got pizza instead of responding to 911 call'

Outrage Erupts as Officer Chooses Pizza Over Urgent 911 Emergency Response

The sister of a man tragically shot alongside his girlfriend has demanded…