White House insiders have revealed that President Donald Trump’s pardon of 1,500 individuals connected to the January 6 Capitol riot was a last-minute decision, taken after internal debate and contrary to some advisors’ recommendations.
During his presidential campaign, Trump had promised swift action on pardons, but his advisors had suggested a more selective approach. As the inauguration date drew near, Trump became concerned about the time constraints and potential oversights in the review process. A White House source told Axios that Trump suddenly decided to make a blanket pardon, saying “Fuck it: Release ’em all.”
Despite his previous statement that those who committed violence against police officers should not be pardoned, Vice President JD Vance was reportedly fully aligned with the final decision. Vance had previously made a public statement suggesting that individuals who committed violence on January 6 should not be pardoned, but his advisors were now in agreement with Trump’s decision.
The source revealed that Vance had simply gotten ahead of himself during his public statement and had not intended to disagree with the president.