Cecily Zamora
Former US President Donald Trump has been criticised for pardoning violent insurrectionists who attacked police officers during the Capitol riots on January 6, 2021. Trump pardoned around 1,500 of his supporters, including those who assaulted police officers. This has been seen by many as a betrayal of law enforcement and a continuation of the stain left by the insurrection on American democracy. Trump has also pardoned two police officers convicted of murdering a Black man, Karon Hylton-Brown, in Washington in 2020. This has sparked outrage and protests against police brutality and racial inequality. Trump's pardons have been described as a gross misuse of power and a dangerous message that undermines the justice system and emboldens criminals.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Number of grants of clemency by Trump | 237 |
| Number of grants of clemency by Trump that came through the Office of the Pardon Attorney's process | 25 |
| Number of people pardoned by Trump in his first term | 238 |
| Number of Capitol rioters pardoned by Trump | 1,500 |
| Number of people pardoned by Trump involved in blockading a Michigan abortion clinic in 2020 | 7 |
| Number of people pardoned by Trump between 2016 and 2021 who were charged with new crimes after their release | 10 |
| Number of people pardoned by Trump last week who were charged with new crimes after their release | 2 |
| Number of police officers convicted in the murder of a Black man in Washington who were pardoned by Trump | 2 |
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What You'll Learn
Trump pardoned two police officers convicted of murdering a Black man
On Wednesday, January 22, 2025, Republican U.S. President Donald Trump pardoned two Washington, D.C. police officers, Terence Sutton Jr. and Andrew Zabavsky, who were convicted of murdering a 20-year-old Black man, Karon Hylton-Brown, in 2020. The incident occurred when Sutton, a Metropolitan Police Department officer, chased Hylton-Brown, who was driving a moped without a helmet on a sidewalk in Northwest Washington, for more than 10 blocks "at unreasonable speeds." The chase ended in a collision that caused Hylton-Brown's death.
Sutton was sentenced to 66 months in prison for second-degree murder and obstruction of justice, while Zabavsky, a lieutenant who supervised Sutton, was sentenced to 48 months in prison for conspiring with Sutton to cover up the deadly police chase. Both officers were on indefinite suspension without pay and remained free pending the outcomes of their appeals.
The pardons were met with mixed reactions. The Fraternal Order of Police, the largest police union in the U.S., and the International Association of Chiefs of Police expressed deep discouragement over the pardons. David Shurtz, an attorney representing Hylton-Brown's estate, called the decision "outrageous" and "ill-advised." Meanwhile, the Metropolitan Police Department thanked Trump for his support, and the officers' attorneys expressed their gratitude for ending the prosecution.
While the specific state laws regarding presidential pardons for police officers are not explicitly mentioned in this context, Trump's action demonstrates his use of executive clemency power as President. It is worth noting that Trump has been criticized for bypassing the Office of the Pardon Attorney and granting pardons based on personal connections or political goals.
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Trump pardoned 1,500 Capitol rioters
On his first day back in office, Trump pardoned 1,500 people charged over the January 6, 2021, riot at the U.S. Capitol, including those who had attacked police officers. This was in addition to six commutations, which Trump referred to as "hostages".
The pardon drew widespread criticism from police, lawmakers, and a majority of Americans, according to a Reuters/Ipsos poll. The decision was also condemned by the Fraternal Order of Police (FOP), the largest police union in the U.S. Senator Thom Tillis, a fellow Republican, said that sparing rioters who assaulted police sent the wrong message.
Trump's pardon also covered people involved in other crimes unrelated to the Capitol riot. For example, one pardoned rioter, Daniel Ball, was rearrested under a federal gun charge. Another, Edward Kelley, was pardoned for his involvement in the Capitol riot, but was not pardoned for plotting to kill federal agents investigating him.
Trump's pardon brought an end to the largest investigation in Justice Department history, with over 300 pending cases. Trump's decision fulfilled his promise to release supporters who had tried to help him overturn his election defeat four years prior.
Trump has also stated that he wants to set up a 'compensation fund' for those he pardoned, who he believes were 'treated very unfairly' by Joe Biden.
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Trump pardoned people with personal or political connections to him
During his presidency, Donald Trump pardoned a significant number of people with personal or political connections to him. Trump pardoned 237 people during his first term, with only 25 of these coming through the Office of the Pardon Attorney's process. The remaining clemency recipients were people with connections to Trump's allies, friends, and family members.
Trump pardoned several of his former campaign staff members and political advisors, including Paul Manafort, Roger Stone, Michael Flynn, Stephen K. Bannon, and George Papadopoulos. He also pardoned five people convicted or accused of war crimes, including three American soldiers. Trump pardoned his supporters and political allies, such as Rod Blagojevich, Michael Milken, Joe Arpaio, Dinesh D'Souza, and Clint Lorance.
Trump's pardons were often criticized, with legal experts expressing concern that he relied on personal connections rather than the Justice Department's established review process. Many wealthy individuals paid tens of thousands of dollars to Trump's former advisors to lobby for pardons, bypassing the review process. Trump's White House Counsel, Pat Cipollone, was officially in charge of the internal pardon process, but "key gatekeepers" included his daughter Ivanka Trump and son-in-law Jared Kushner.
Trump pardoned people involved in the January 6 Capitol riots, including those charged with assaulting police officers. He also pardoned individuals with personal connections to him, such as Trevor Milton, the founder of Nikola Corp., who was convicted of securities fraud. Trump pardoned Milton despite the significant financial losses suffered by investors due to his scheme.
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Trump bypassed the Office of the Pardon Attorney
During his presidency, Donald Trump bypassed the Office of the Pardon Attorney (OPA) in his grants of clemency. The OPA, part of the United States Department of Justice, is generally responsible for advising the president on pardon petitions and reviewing all requests for pardons. While presidents are not required to seek the OPA's advice, it has historically been the norm to do so.
Trump, however, frequently circumvented the OPA, granting clemency to well-connected offenders who had not filed petitions with the pardon office or met its requirements. Out of 237 grants of clemency by Trump, only 25 came through the OPA's process. The remaining clemency recipients were those with personal or political connections to Trump, or those who had paid large sums of money to former Trump advisors to lobby for pardons. This led to concerns from legal experts that Trump was "relying on his personal connections rather than the Justice Department's established review process".
In response to criticism, Trump asserted that he is the chief law enforcement officer of the country. It is worth noting that Trump granted fewer clemencies than many modern presidents during his first term.
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Trump pardoned violent insurrectionists who attacked police officers
On his first day in office, President Donald Trump pardoned 1,500 people charged in connection with the January 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol. This included individuals who had violently assaulted police officers.
Trump's pardon was not limited to Capitol rioters. During his first term, he pardoned seven people involved in blockading a Michigan abortion clinic in 2020. Trump also oversaw the largest single-year spike in the murder rate in over a century.
Many of those pardoned by Trump had personal or political connections to him. Wealthy individuals paid tens of thousands of dollars to Trump's former advisors to lobby for pardons, bypassing the review process of the Office of the Pardon Attorney.
Trump's pardoning of the Capitol rioters was widely criticised. Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer said:
> "The people who invaded the Capitol on January 6th, whether they committed violence or not, should not have been pardoned. They unlawfully broke into the Capitol to stop the peaceful transfer of power. What they did is a serious crime."
US District Judge Royce Lamberth, appointed by Ronald Reagan, stated that during his time on the bench, he could never recall "such meritless justifications of criminal activity". Randall Eliason, a former federal prosecutor and professor at George Washington University Law School, called the pardons an abuse of power by Trump, indicating that committing crimes on Trump's behalf would be without consequence.
Despite the pardons, some of those involved in the Capitol riots have been charged with new crimes.
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Frequently asked questions
Yes, Trump can pardon police officers for state law violations. In January 2025, he pardoned two police officers convicted of murdering a 20-year-old Black man, Karon Hylton-Brown, in 2020.
Yes, Trump has pardoned police officers on multiple occasions. In addition to the aforementioned case, he also pardoned 1,500 of his supporters who attacked the U.S. Capitol on January 6, 2021, including those who assaulted police officers.
Trump's pardons of police officers have been met with widespread criticism and condemnation. The Fraternal Order of Police and the International Association of Chiefs of Police released a joint statement expressing their disappointment. Senators from both parties, including Chuck Schumer, Adam Schiff, Patty Murray, and Lindsey Graham, have also spoken out against the pardons.
