“Should Violent January 6th Rioters Be Pardoned?”: Jim Jordan Faces Tough CNN Questions

MAGA Republican Representative Jim Jordan (OH) found himself in the hot seat during a CNN interview on Sunday when host Dana Bash grilled him over whether President-elect Donald Trump should pardon January 6th rioters, particularly those who committed violence.

Bash opened the discussion by pointing out Trump’s campaign promise to pardon many involved in the January 6th Capitol attack. She also referenced comments from Vice President-elect J.D. Vance, who recently stated that rioters who committed acts of violence should not be pardoned.

“One of the many things that the president-elect promised that he would do was, and is, to pardon many of the January 6th rioters,” Bash began. “We heard Vice President-elect J.D. Vance say last week that if anyone committed violence on that day, they should not be pardoned. He added, there’s a little bit of a gray area there.”

Bash cited Department of Justice data revealing that 608 people had been charged with assaulting, resisting, or obstructing law enforcement, and 174 of them faced allegations of using deadly or dangerous weapons against officers. She pressed Jordan for his stance: “So, do you agree with Vice President-elect Vance that those people should not be pardoned?”

Jordan responded, “I think all along, whether it’s President Trump, Vice President Vance, people who didn’t engage in violence should be pardoned. I think that’s where the American people are. I think that’s where the president—”

Bash interjected, “What about those who did engage in violence?” Jordan replied, “I think that’s when you go case by case. And if they’ve done some violent activity against some police officer, maybe not. Maybe they shouldn’t be.”

The issue remains contentious among MAGA activists, some of whom have vowed to “raise hell” if Trump does not fulfill his promise to pardon all involved. Jordan emphasized that the decision ultimately rests with Trump, saying, “The pardon power lays solely with the president. It’s not up to me to comment.”

When pressed by Bash about whether pardoning even one of the 174 individuals charged with violent acts would be acceptable, Jordan deflected, stating, “That’s up to the president. If the president thinks that that’s warranted, he will look at the facts along with his counsel… but then he will make the decision. And that’s how it works in America.”

The debate over pardons for January 6th rioters highlights a deeper divide among Republicans, as Trump prepares to navigate the political and legal complexities of his controversial promise.