Four years ago, the idea of pardons for the January 6 riots seemed unthinkable to most Republicans.
Although President Donald Trump floated the idea of pardons, most Republicans remained adamant about one thing: violent criminals should not be on the list.
Here’s what Republican senators told ABC News on Tuesday after Trump pardoned or commuted the sentences of more than 1,500 people who rioted at the Capitol on January 6, 2021:
Senator Tommy Tuberville says he has “never” seen a video of rioters hitting the police
“I’m 100 percent sorry to everyone. They’ve been there long enough. Most of them were not accused of anything,” Tuberville told us.
ABC News asked about those pardoned after being attacked by police – beaten with fire hoses and metal batons. Among those pardoned: Devlyn Thompson, who hit a police officer with a metal club, and Robert Palmer, who attacked police with a fire extinguisher, a wooden board and a pole.
Sen. Tommy Tuberville speaks during the Senate Armed Services Committee’s confirmation hearing for Pete Hegseth, President-elect Donald Trump’s choice for Secretary of Defense, at the Capitol in Washington, Jan. 14, 2025.
Ben Curtis/AP
“I didn’t see that coming,” the Alabama senator said. Asked if that’s acceptable, Tuberville said, “No, that’s not acceptable, but I didn’t see it.”
Tuberville went a step further: “I don’t believe it because I didn’t see it. Now, if I see it, I would believe it, but I didn’t see it in that video.’
Sen. Thom Tillis backs away from pardons: ‘Can’t agree’
Of the Republican senators ABC News spoke with, only two were willing to completely distance themselves from Trump’s action.
Tillis, of North Carolina, has been vocal on the issue, even using her time at Attorney General Pam Bondi’s confirmation hearing to publicly press the possibility of a Jan. 6 pardon for the rioters.
“I find it hard to believe the president, or you would look at the facts that were used to convict violent people on January 6th and say it was just an inordinate moment,” he said at the hearing.
When approached on Tuesday, he continued to say he “can’t agree”.
“Anybody — what I’m trying to do is get you to know that there are some commonalities, I just can’t agree more,” he said. “I am about to introduce two bills that will increase the penalties for killing police officers and that will increase the penalties and create federal crimes for assaulting the police. That should give you all you need to know about my position, as it is, it was surprising to me that it was an apology. Now I’m looking into the details,” Tillis said.
Senator Susan Collins “disagrees” with pardons for violent criminals
Collins, of Maine, was among seven Republicans convicted in 2021 of Trump in his second impeachment trial on Jan. 6. He said he “doesn’t agree” with pardons for violent criminals who attacked officers, smashed windows or did other things. violent actions that day.
“I told you very clearly that I think there is a difference between violent crimes and non-violent crimes. I don’t support pardons if they were given to people who committed violent crimes, including assaulting police or breaking windows to get into the Capitol or other violent acts, like pepper spray,” Collins said.
Sen. John Thune introduces South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem during a Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee hearing on her nomination for Secretary of Homeland Security, on Capitol Hill in Washington, Jan. 17, 2025.
Ben Curtis/AP
Senate Majority Leader John Thune insisted he had not seen the details
Thune was tapped several times in the hallway Monday. He previously said he had no comment and “hadn’t seen all the stuff.”
Later, when asked again, the South Dakota senator said, “As I said before, we’re looking at the next four years, not the last four.”
Some Republicans called the pardons a prerogative of the president
When asked about violent parolees, Texas Senator John Cornyn said, “That’s not the question. The question is who has the authority, and the president has the authority.”
Senator Ron Johnson of Wisconsin tried to split the difference, insisting that pardons were “absolutely justified” and saying he did not want pardons for “violent actors.”
“I think they were absolutely justified,” he said. “Again, I don’t know all the cases. I certainly don’t want to condone any violent actor, but there’s a real miscarriage of justice, so I’m totally supportive.’
When I pointed out that Trump had pardoned violent criminals, Johnson said, “I haven’t seen the details, but I think a lot of these pardons are well-deserved.”
Senator Kevin Cramer of North Dakota stated that Biden and Trump’s pardoning of members of the January 6 commission and those charged with crimes on that day should “clear the stage” for Americans to put the attack on the Capitol “behind us”.
Asked about Trump’s promise after the riots that those who broke the law would “pay” Cramer said, “I think a lot of them, a lot of them who broke the law have paid up in four years.”
And about Biden’s apology?
Several Republican senators brought up President Joe Biden’s 11th-hour pardons.
“Well, are we making a big deal about the pardons put out by Biden? That would be worse,” Senator Markwayne Mullin of Oklahoma said when asked how he felt about Trump pardoning violent criminals. Mullin, who said those who committed violent crimes that day “have to pay for it,” continued to point to Biden when asked if he changed his tune.
At least one Democrat understood that Republican argument. Democratic Senator Tim Kaine said Trump’s Jan. 6 criminal pardons were “harder to criticize” because of Biden’s family pardons.
“I’m very disappointed in them,” Kain said Tuesday of Biden’s actions.
“Because I think, look, I think we should criticize some unfair pardons, like the pardon of January 6th. And I think it’s harder to make a critique, to be at the top and to be critical of Trump’s pardons on Jan. 6 when President Biden is pardoning family members,” the Virginia Democrat said.
