The FBI considers the Jan. 6 insurrection an act of domestic terrorism that left around 140 police officers injured and threatened the very existence of democracy as we know it. Although this is a dark stain on our nation’s history, President Donald Trump remembers it fondly, referring to the occasion as a “day of love” and praising its participants as patriots. In his official order pardoning the rioters, Trump referred to the convictions as “grave national injustice[s]” that were necessary to overturn.
Trump campaigned on the promise to release the “hostages” serving prison sentences for their participation in the insurrection on Day 1 of his second term. He stayed true to his word, offering full pardons to all those “convicted of offenses related to events that occurred at or near the United States Capitol” Jan. 6.
Trump’s decision to pardon these individuals does not come as a shock. Not only does the act fulfill a campaign promise, it also reinforces the importance Trump places on loyalty. By granting pardons to these rioters in thanks for their proven allegiance to him, Trump demonstrates a behavior seen throughout his career: the prioritization of personal loyalty over justice or merit. This leadership style is also seen through his political appointees and campaign employees, many of whom earned their nominations through loyalty or a familial relationship.
Pardoning the Jan. 6 insurrectionists on the first day of his administration is just one of many campaign promises Trump intends to enact. Though he did not end the war in Ukraine in the first 24 hours of his presidency as promised, an end to the war remains a pledge of the administration that many hope Trump can keep.
However, many of his promises would be better left unkept, including abolishing the Department of Education, revoking the Temporary Legal Status of Haitians, and adding a 60% tariff on imported Chinese goods. It remains unclear how quickly Trump intends to address his campaign promises, but if the pardoning of Jan. 6. rioters is any indication, his priorities will likely be rewarding loyalty rather than policies of positive change.
