President-elect Donald Trump stated in an exclusive interview with NBC News that he is planning to pardon his supporters who were involved in the attack on the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, on his first day in office. Trump expressed that those incarcerated are “living in hell” and are in a “very nasty system.” He mentioned that he would act quickly and bring legal relief to the rioters who have been sentenced or are in custody. Trump suggested that some individuals may be exceptions to his pardons if they were radical or crazy. He also alleged that members of the House committee that investigated the attack should go to jail.
Trump did not rule out pardoning individuals who had pleaded guilty, even those who had assaulted police officers, claiming that they had no choice. He criticized the justice system, stating that individuals have been pressured into guilty pleas. Charges related to the Jan. 6 investigation range from unlawful parading to seditious conspiracy.
When asked about the Justice Department, Trump expressed grievances toward the FBI and vowed to replace FBI Director Christopher Wray. He mentioned that he would appoint Pam Bondi as attorney general, but he would leave the decisions to her and would not instruct her to investigate Jack Smith, whom he accused of being corrupt.
Lastly, Trump claimed that members of the House Jan. 6 committee had lied and destroyed evidence in their investigation. Republican Liz Cheney and Democrat Bennie Thompson were specifically mentioned, with Trump suggesting that they should go to jail. Despite his comments, it is unclear how Trump’s plans will unfold once he takes office.
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