WASHINGTON, D.C. — In his first major act after being sworn in on January 20, 2025, President Donald J. Trump issued an executive order granting pardons and commuting the sentences of individuals convicted of crimes related to the January 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol. The sweeping order immediately freed dozens of convicted participants, including prominent leaders of extremist groups, and halted all pending prosecutions connected to the events of that day.

The executive order specifically commutes the sentences of 14 individuals convicted of serious offenses, including Stewart Rhodes, founder of the Oath Keepers, and key members of the Proud Boys such as Ethan Nordean and Dominic Pezzola. These individuals had been serving lengthy prison terms on charges including seditious conspiracy. The order further grants full, unconditional pardons to all others convicted of crimes linked to the Capitol riot and directs the Department of Justice to dismiss ongoing cases.

“This proclamation ends a grave national injustice that has been perpetrated upon the American people over the last four years and begins a process of national reconciliation,” Trump declared in the proclamation. He directed the Department of Justice and Bureau of Prisons to implement the release of inmates and issue certificates of pardon immediately.

The January 6 attack, which sought to block the certification of the 2020 presidential election, resulted in significant violence and the deaths of five people. Over 1,000 individuals were arrested, and more than 600 were convicted on charges ranging from trespassing to conspiracy. Among those affected by the new order are high-profile figures previously convicted for organizing and instigating violence during the riot.

Criticism of Trump’s order came swiftly from Democratic lawmakers and legal experts, who argued it undermines the rule of law and accountability for one of the most serious attacks on American democracy. Rep. Jamie Raskin (D-Md.), who served as a lead impeachment manager in Trump’s second impeachment trial, described the move as “an outright assault on justice and democracy.”

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