Donald Trump signaled on Sunday night that he plans to leverage Joe Biden’s pardon of his son, Hunter, in his own political agenda, suggesting it could be linked to his potential pardon of January 6 defendants.
J-6 hostages
Trump questioned whether Biden’s pardon of Hunter would extend to those he refers to as “J-6 Hostages,” referring to individuals imprisoned following the January 6 Capitol attack. “Does the Pardon given by Joe to Hunter include the J-6 Hostages, who have now been imprisoned for years?
Such an abuse and miscarriage of Justice!” Trump wrote in his first public comment since Biden’s announcement of the pardon. The Department of Justice reports that 140 police officers were assaulted during the Capitol attack, including 80 U.S. Capitol Police officers and 60 from the Metropolitan Police Department of Washington, D.C.
Will Trump pardon January 6 defendants after Hunter pardon?
Trump has repeatedly suggested pardoning January 6 defendants during his campaign. His newly appointed FBI chief, Kash Patel, has also advocated for the pardons.
Additionally, Trump has played the song “Justice for All” at rallies, a rendition of the national anthem sung by January 6 defendants. More than 1,200 individuals have faced charges related to the Capitol attack, with many involved in violent altercations with law enforcement. Others were charged with obstructing an official proceeding during Congress’s certification of the 2020 presidential election.
“I am inclined to pardon many of them. I can’t say for every single one because a couple of them, probably, they got out of control,” Trump said during a CNN town hall in May 2023. “I would say it will be a large portion of them, and it would be early on in my term.”
Trump’s reaction to Biden’s pardon of Hunter
However, Trump has refrained from specifying which individuals he would pardon. Some defendants were convicted of using explosives or blunt objects to assault police officers.
Trump did not directly criticize Biden’s pardon of Hunter Biden, but his incoming communications director used the opportunity to highlight what Trump views as politically motivated legal actions against him.
In a surprise announcement on Sunday night, Biden revealed that he would grant a presidential pardon to his son, Hunter, calling his prosecution “selective” and “unfair.”
Read More: Joe Biden Grants Full Pardon To Hunter Biden In Final Weeks As President
