Trump Ally Condemns January 6th Pardons as Precedent-Setting “`

President Trump’s wide-ranging clemency for January 6th Capitol rioters risks undermining public trust and could lead to legal reforms, according to Senator Lindsey Graham.

Senator Graham criticized President Trump’s decision to pardon individuals convicted of violent crimes during the January 6, 2021, Capitol attack, citing potential long-term consequences.

Granting pardons to those who assaulted police officers sends a damaging message to the public, Graham told CNN.

On January 20th, Trump issued an executive order granting clemency to approximately 1,500 individuals involved in the Capitol riot. This included Stewart Rhodes, the Oath Keepers founder convicted of seditious conspiracy, who received an 18-year sentence—the second longest among January 6th defendants—before his release.

His release from federal prison in Cumberland, Maryland, has been met with criticism from legal experts and lawmakers concerned about emboldening extremist groups.

Graham, a Republican Senator from South Carolina and long-time Trump ally, voiced his disapproval of the blanket pardons.

“I don’t like this. I don’t like it on either side. And I think the public doesn’t like it either,” he stated.

Graham cautioned that such extensive clemency could erode public faith in presidential authority, suggesting that “If this continues, if this is the norm, there may be an effort to rein in the pardon power of the president as an institution.”

Trump, during his 2024 presidential campaign, pledged to pardon those charged in connection with the January 6th riot. His broad executive action has elicited mixed responses.

Supporters view the pardons as rectifying what they see as political persecution, while critics argue they weaken the rule of law. Vice President J.D. Vance defended the pardons, stating that cases were individually reviewed to ensure fairness.

He acknowledged prior opposition to pardoning violent offenders but maintained that the decision addresses potential miscarriages of justice.

During the January 6th Capitol attack, Trump supporters breached security in Washington, D.C., attempting to disrupt the certification of Joe Biden’s presidential victory. While some protesters remained peaceful, others attacked police and damaged property.