Trump grants commutations and pardons to about 1,500 involved in the Capitol riot

President Donald Trump has signed a proclamation granting commutations to 14 individuals convicted in connection with the January 2021 Capitol storming, while issuing a blanket pardon to approximately 1,500 others involved.

Trump signed the proclamation on his first day in office on Monday. The document states that its purpose is to end “a grave national injustice that has been perpetrated upon the American people over the last four years,” adding that it marks the beginning of a process of “national reconciliation.”

The proclamation commutes the sentences of 14 individuals convicted for their roles in the Capitol attack on January 6, 2021. All of them are either militia members of the Oath Keepers, including founder Stewart Rhodes III, or members of the Proud Boys, including leader Ethan Nordean.

All other individuals convicted of offenses related to events at or near the Capitol have been granted a full pardon.

“This is a big one,” Trump told reporters in the Oval Office while signing the proclamation, “We hope they come out tonight.”

A commutation reduces or eliminates the punishment for a crime, such as shortening a prison sentence, without erasing the conviction itself. In contrast, a pardon fully forgives the crime, absolving the individual of legal consequences and restoring civil rights, such as voting or serving on a jury.