Donald Trump ally Lindsey Graham says pardoning January 6 rioters was a 'mistake' and could lead to more violence

26 January 2025, 19:46 | Updated: 26 January 2025, 20:53

A prominent Republican senator and longtime ally of Donald Trump has questioned his decision to pardon January 6 rioters.

Lindsey Graham said the move was a "mistake" and could lead to more violence.

Mr Trump announced a blanket pardon for about 1,500 of his supporters who attacked the US Capitol in 2021 as part of a flurry of executive orders.

Some of those who were freed from jail earlier this week had assaulted police officers during the insurrection.

Republican senator Mr Graham said while Mr Trump had the legal authority to issue the pardons, "pardoning the people who went into the Capitol and beat up a police officer violently, I think was a mistake. Because it seems to suggest that's an okay thing to do".

As a result, "I fear that you will get more violence", said Mr Graham, who serves on the Senate Judiciary Committee.

Mr Trump has said that attacks on police officers during the January 6 unrest were "minor incidents".

In his first sit-down interview since being inaugurated on Monday, recorded in the Oval Office, Mr Trump told Fox News' Sean Hannity most of those who were jailed over the US Capitol riots were "absolutely innocent".

He went on to claim those at the US Capitol were simply there "protesting the vote" before again falsely claiming the 2020 election was "rigged".

Among those supporters who have been released from prison was Stewart Rhodes, the former leader of the far-right Oath Keepers group.

Rhodes had been serving an 18-year sentence after being convicted of plotting to use force to prevent Congress from certifying Mr Trump's 2020 defeat to rival Joe Biden.

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The blanket pardon also drew condemnation from police who battled the mob, their families, and politicians, including some of the president's fellow Republicans.

Graham also hits out at Biden pardons

Speaking on NBC's Meet the Press programme, Mr Graham also criticised Mr Trump's predecessor Democrat Mr Biden for issuing last-minute pardons for five family members and said Americans may want to revisit presidential pardon power if such actions continue.

"But as to pardoning violent people who beat up cops, I think that's a mistake," he said.