Framing his latest decision as much-demanded justice, President Donald Trump unveiled an initiative to get January 6 “patriots” paid.
The president revealed plans for a compensation fund to help those whose lives were destroyed by what he called “ridiculous and excessive” prosecutions.
The announcement fulfills his campaign promise to make things right for supporters, who he maintains were at the Capitol “peacefully and patriotically.”
“A lot of people in government really like that group of people. They were patriots as far as I was concerned, I talk about them a lot. They were treated very unfairly, you know?” President Trump said.
The possibility of financial compensation for individuals who were prosecuted for their roles in the January 6, 2021, Capitol events comes just after the president pardoned roughly 1,500 defendants.
“There’s talk about that,” President Trump said regarding compensation possibilities.
He noted that many government officials support the idea because they believe these individuals were “treated very unfairly” under the Biden administration’s Justice Department.
The president also directed his attorney general to dismiss approximately 450 pending criminal cases against January 6 defendants.
The move has already resulted in the Federal Bureau of Prisons releasing over 200 people who were in custody for January 6-related offenses.
The president also paid special tribute to Ashli Babbitt, who was fatally shot during the Capitol events.
“Ashli Babbitt was a really good person who was a big MAGA fan, Trump fan, and she was innocently standing there. And a man did something to her that was unthinkable when he shot her,” President Trump stated.
While liberals have predictably condemned Trump’s actions, many conservatives see this as a necessary correction of injustice.
Senator Brian Schatz (D-HI) responded with sarcasm: “We should vote on this. They should demand a vote on this.”
The details of the potential compensation fund remain unclear, as the administration has not yet released a formal plan.
However, President Trump indicated during his campaign that he would consider cases individually, especially for non-violent offenders who he believes were subjected to excessive charges and sentences.
Newsmax host Greg Kelly voiced the sentiment of many conservative Americans who support the president’s actions.
He firmly asked, “Shouldn’t that be something that can just be settled at this point?”
For many Trump supporters, these moves represent a crucial step toward healing the nation after years of what they view as politically motivated prosecutions.
While Democrats and anti-Trump figures have expressed outrage, the president appears determined to deliver on his promise to stand by his supporters.
