Far-Right Leaders Freed After Trump’s Mass Pardons
Ex-Oath Keepers and Proud Boys Leaders Released Following Presidential Clemency
Two prominent far-right figures in the United States have been released from prison after former President Donald Trump issued pardons for over 1,500 individuals convicted in connection with the January 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol.
Enrique Tarrio, former leader of the Proud Boys, was freed on Tuesday following Trump’s mass clemency action. Tarrio had been serving a 22-year sentence, one of the longest imposed in relation to the insurrection.
Similarly, Stewart Rhodes, the ex-leader of the Oath Keepers militia, was released just after midnight from a federal facility in Cumberland, Maryland. Trump commuted his 18-year sentence.
Rhodes and Tarrio were among the most high-profile figures prosecuted in the extensive federal investigation into the Capitol attack. Their harsh sentences underscored the Justice Department’s commitment to addressing the insurrection, which sought to halt the certification of President Joe Biden’s 2020 election victory.
Trump had long pledged to pardon individuals charged over the events of January 6, during which a mob of his supporters stormed the U.S. Capitol after he repeatedly and falsely claimed the election had been stolen. In a fiery speech before the riot, he urged the crowd to “fight like hell” and “stop the steal.”
Rhodes was convicted in 2023 of seditious conspiracy, a rarely used charge accusing him of plotting to overthrow or undermine the U.S. government. Prosecutors presented evidence that he directed Oath Keepers members to participate in the assault. Rhodes maintained his innocence, calling the case politically motivated.
During sentencing, U.S. District Judge Amit Mehta condemned Rhodes, stating, “For decades, Mr. Rhodes, it is clear you have wanted the democracy of this country to devolve into violence. The moment you are released, whenever that may be, you will be ready to take up arms against your government.”
Tarrio, while not physically present at the Capitol on January 6, was convicted on charges including seditious conspiracy. Prosecutors argued he played a crucial role in planning and directing Proud Boys members to engage in the attack.
A statement from Tarrio’s family confirmed his release and expected arrival in Miami, Florida, later on Tuesday. “We Thank You For Being With Us, The Golden Era Has Arrived!” the statement read, echoing Trump’s campaign rhetoric promising a “golden age.”
Within hours of taking office, Trump granted clemency to all individuals convicted in connection with the riot. In a proclamation posted on the White House website, he justified the move as a step toward “national reconciliation.”
However, the decision has drawn sharp criticism from those affected by the violence. Craig Sicknick, whose brother, Capitol Police officer Brian Sicknick, was assaulted during the riot and later died from multiple strokes, condemned Trump’s action, calling him “pure evil.”
“The man who killed my brother is now president,” Sicknick told Reuters. “My brother died in vain.”
Michael Fanone, a former Metropolitan Police officer who suffered severe injuries during the attack, also voiced his anger, noting that the six individuals who assaulted him would now walk free.
“I have been betrayed by my country,” he told CNN.
Trump’s sweeping pardons have reignited debate over justice and accountability for the January 6 insurrection, leaving deep divisions in the nation’s political landscape.