US President Donald Trump issued pardons Monday to around 1,500 people convicted for their roles in the January 6th, 2021 Capitol attack, where rioters stormed the legislative building seeking to disrupt the certification of the 2021 election. Alongside the full pardons, Trump commuted the sentences of 14 other January 6th defendants, including Oath Keepers leader Stewart Rhodes, who will be released but retain their convictions. Trump also directed the Justice Department to drop outstanding charges against all other Capitol attack defendants.

While signing the pardons, Trump referred to the defendants as “hostages” and said that his administration is doing “further research” on those who have had their sentences commuted.

Among those who have received full pardons is Proud Boys leader Enrique Tarrio, whose mother announced his release on social media. Tarrio was convicted of seditious conspiracy and conspiracy to obstruct an official proceeding in 2023. Prosecutors said Tarrio directed and encouraged the actions of Proud Boy Capitol rioters despite not being present in Washington DC at the time.

Earlier in the day, then-President Joe Biden issued a preemptive pardon to members of the House Select Committee on the January 6 Attack, fearing that they would be targeted by the Trump administration. Biden also extended pardons to former Chief Medical Advisor Anthony Fauci, former Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Mark Milley, and members of his own family for similar reasons.

Prior to his inauguration, Trump was himself facing January 6-related charges over his actions during the attack. Special Counsel Jack Smith alleged that Trump pressured then-Vice President Mike Pence to unlawfully alter the election results and directed his supporters to obstruct the certification process.  These charges were later dropped due to Trump’s election victory, but Smith wrote in a post-mortem report that the prosecution was necessary to protect “the integrity of the electoral process and the peaceful transfer of power.”