Mere days into his controversial second term, President Donald Trump is already making headlines and ruffling feathers with his first televised interview since being inaugurated. Sitting down with his longtime ally Sean Hannity of Fox News, Trump vigorously defended his widely criticized decision to issue sweeping pardons and commutations to over 1,500 individuals charged for their roles in the infamous January 6, 2021 attack on the U.S. Capitol.
“Very Minor Incidents”: Trump Downplays Capitol Assault Charges
When pressed by Hannity on why he chose to pardon even those who committed violence against police officers during the insurrection, Trump was quick to minimize the severity of their actions. “Most of the people were absolutely innocent,” the president claimed, despite the fact that hundreds of those pardoned had been convicted on assault charges after being caught on camera in physical altercations with overwhelmed Capitol Police.
Trump went on to describe these attacks as mere “very minor incidents” that were overblown by his media critics, insisting that the real injustice was the protesters being “horribly” mistreated with long prison sentences. “It was time,” he declared of his decision to wipe away their convictions and set them free.
A “Political Hoax” and “Patriotism”: Justifying the Insurrection
Not content to simply pardon the January 6 rioters, Trump also sought to justify their actions entirely. He maintained his long-debunked claims that the 2020 election was “rigged” against him, insisting the protesters were within their rights to disrupt the vote certification.
“They were protesting the vote because they knew the election was rigged and they were protesting the vote and you should be allowed to protest the vote.”
President Donald Trump
Trump framed the attack on the Capitol, which led to multiple deaths, injuries to over 100 police officers, and millions in property damage, as “a political hoax.” He praised those involved for showing “a lot of patriotism” in their ultimately unsuccessful attempt to overturn his election defeat.
Blowback from Police Unions and Trump’s VP
The president’s blanket clemency for the insurrectionists has drawn sharp criticism from police unions, who said they were “deeply discouraged” to see hundreds of attacks on their officers go unpunished. Even Trump’s own vice president, JD Vance, had previously stated that those who committed violence “obviously” should not be pardoned, but most Republican officials have fallen in line behind Trump’s decision.
Hinting at Political Revenge Against Enemies
Trump also ominously suggested in the interview that his political opponents who put him through “four years of hell” with investigations and prosecutions could now face retaliation themselves. He criticized his predecessor Joe Biden for preemptively pardoning officials like Dr. Anthony Fauci before leaving office, darkly remarking that Biden made a “mistake” by not pardoning himself too.
“Joe Biden has very bad advisers. Somebody advised Joe Biden to give pardons to everybody but him … Joe Biden had very bad advice.”
President Donald Trump
Eyeing Changes to Disaster Relief and “Sanctuary Cities”
Beyond the pardons, Trump covered a range of other controversial topics in the wide-ranging interview. He floated the prospect of ending federal disaster relief funding, suggesting states should “take care of their own problems” and accusing FEMA of not doing its job. This comes as many parts of the country are still reeling from devastating hurricanes and wildfires.
The president also hinted at plans to cut off federal grants to so-called “sanctuary cities” that limit cooperation with immigration enforcement, a move that would likely trigger legal challenges from local leaders who argue it represents dangerous federal overreach.
Overall, Trump’s first interview provides a telling glimpse into his priorities and attitude coming into his second term. By downplaying and defending the January 6 attacks, teasing revenge, and hinting at crackdowns on blue cities, he is signaling a belligerent, unbowed determination to reward allies, retaliate against foes, and wield presidential power in line with his populist politics, no matter the backlash it provokes.
