Trump Promises Some Day-One Pardons, Thinks J6 Committee Should Go To Jail [WATCH]

President-elect Donald Trump has pledged to issue pardons for individuals incarcerated in connection with the January 6 Capitol events as a top priority when he assumes office in six weeks.

Speaking in an interview with Meet the Press moderator Kristen Welker, Trump outlined his commitment to addressing what he views as a grave injustice.

BREAKING: President Trump confirms he will “most likely” pardon J6ers on day one, warns some members of J6 Select House Committee “should go to jail” pic.twitter.com/jDBTU4RSgd

— Benny Johnson (@bennyjohnson) December 8, 2024

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“I’m going to be acting very quickly. First day,” Trump stated, emphasizing the urgency of his plans. “They’ve been in there for years, and they’re in a filthy, disgusting place that shouldn’t even be allowed to be open.”

President Trump says he will be “acting very quickly” on pardons for some J6 defendants: “We’re going to look at individual cases … They’ve been in there for years!” pic.twitter.com/XeLbemtYXO

— Trump War Room (@TrumpWarRoom) December 8, 2024

Trump, who has frequently criticized the Department of Justice for what he considers biased practices, expressed deep concern over the treatment of January 6 defendants.

He alleged that the system pressured many individuals into plea deals, including those who confessed to assaulting police officers.

“They had no choice,” Trump said. “The system’s a very corrupt system. They say to a guy, ‘You’re going to go to jail for two years or for 30 years.’ And these guys are looking, their whole lives have been destroyed. For two years, they’ve been destroyed. But the system is a very nasty system.”

Trump also took aim at the now-dissolved January 6 committee, accusing its members of lying and destroying key evidence. “They lied and destroyed a whole year and a half worth of testimony,” he said.

The committee, chaired by Rep. Bennie Thompson (D-MS), faced criticism earlier this year after Rep. Barry Loudermilk (R-GA), chairman of the Subcommittee on Oversight for the Committee on House Administration, revealed that approximately 1.5 to 2 terabytes of documents had not been preserved.

A digital forensics team determined that over 100 encrypted files were deleted just days before Republicans assumed control of the House in 2023.

Trump further criticized the committee for promoting false narratives, including a debunked conspiracy theory about a GOP lawmaker conducting a “reconnaissance tour” before the events of January 6.

The committee also faced backlash for altering text message evidence.

“Those people committed a major crime,” Trump said, referencing former committee members such as Thompson and Rep. Liz Cheney (R-WY).

While Trump suggested they “should go to jail,” he stated he would not direct his Attorney General nominee, Pam Bondi, or the Department of Justice to pursue specific cases.

President Trump says that Liz Cheney, Benny Thompson and everybody that was on the J6 Committee should go to jail

“For what they did, honestly, they should go to jail.”

I can smell the panic from here and it’s amazing. pic.twitter.com/dtAQN2tjDn

— TheStormHasArrived (@TheStormRedux) December 8, 2024

Trump’s comments came shortly after Joe Biden issued a controversial pardon to his son, Hunter Biden, sparking criticism from the president-elect. Trump suggested the same principle should apply to January 6 defendants.

“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.

Trump has consistently expressed sympathy for individuals facing legal consequences from the Capitol events. Speaking to the Patriot Freedom Project, he described the treatment of these defendants as “unconstitutional” and vowed to issue pardons, adding that their imprisonment represented “the weaponization of the Department of Justice.”

“There may be some exceptions,” Trump told Welker, clarifying that pardons would not apply to “somebody who was radical, crazy.”

However, he maintained that those still incarcerated are “living in hell.”

As Trump prepares to take office, his plans for day-one pardons signal a renewed focus on addressing what he views as the injustices stemming from the January 6 prosecutions.

With this pledge, Trump reinforces his commitment to reshaping the Department of Justice and pursuing reforms he deems necessary for the country.

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