On his first day back in office, former President Donald Trump made a jaw-dropping move: he granted clemency to nearly all 1,600 people charged in the January 6, 2021, attack on the US Capitol. This massive wave of pardons and sentence commutations included hundreds convicted of violent crimes, like assaulting police officers and damaging government property.

The decision wasn’t entirely unexpected—Trump had been vocal about his desire to downplay the events of January 6, when a mob of his supporters stormed the Capitol to disrupt the certification of the 2020 election results. But the scale of his actions still left many stunned. By the time Trump acted, federal prosecutors had already secured convictions in roughly 80% of the cases, most through guilty pleas.

Even more controversial? Trump’s directive to the Justice Department to drop charges in about 300 pending cases. Only two defendants had been acquitted by that point, making his blanket pardons a bold and polarizing move. Critics, including some prominent Republicans, argued that pardoning violent offenders sets a dangerous precedent.

Interestingly, Trump didn’t grant full pardons to 14 members of far-right extremist groups like the Oath Keepers and Proud Boys, who were involved in the most high-profile seditious conspiracy cases. Instead, he commuted their sentences, allowing them to walk free from prison. These individuals were among the first to breach the Capitol and faced some of the longest sentences handed down for January 6 crimes.

Trump’s sweeping pardons have reignited debates about accountability, justice, and the legacy of the Capitol attack. Whether you see this as a justified act or a troubling step, it’s clear that the fallout from January 6 is far from over.