JD Vance Fuels MAGA Debate Over His Stance On January 6 Pardons

Just days before taking the oath of office, incoming Vice President JD Vance appeared on Fox News for an interview during which the topic of President Trump’s expected Jan. 6 pardons.

Although he affirmed that many individuals convicted for peacefully protesting should be pardoned, he went on to argue that there are “obviously” some who should not.

As the Associated Press reported through its typically anti-Trump lens:

Vice President-elect JD Vance says people responsible for the violence during the Capitol riot “obviously” should not be pardoned, as President-elect Donald Trump is promising to use his clemency power on behalf of many of those who tried on Jan. 6, 2021, to overturn the results of the election that Trump lost.

Vance insisted in an interview on “Fox News Sunday” that the pardon question is “very simple,” saying those who “protested peacefully” should be pardoned and “if you committed violence on that day, obviously you shouldn’t be pardoned.” He later said there was a “bit of a gray area” in some cases.

More than 1,500 people have been charged with federal crimes stemming from the siege that left more than 100 police officers injured and sent lawmakers running into hiding as they met to certify Democrat Joe Biden’s 2020 victory.

His equivocal tone sparked almost immediate backlash from some pro-Trump sources:

Video gets released of cops shooting innocent J6 protesters and @JDVance goes on Fox News and tells the world that only non violent protesters should get pardoned

Better rethink what you just said JD https://t.co/HOscppr529

— Hodgetwins (@hodgetwins) January 12, 2025

⚠️ JD VANCE: Those on Jan. 6th, 2021 who acted violently “obviously” should not be pardoned pic.twitter.com/agtvf94w4u

— The Dibster (@richarddibX) January 12, 2025

Vance did respond to the criticism in an effort to defend himself:

First of all, I donated to the to the J6 political prisoner fund and got ROASTED for it during my senate race. I've been defending these guys for years.

Second, there were federal informants in the crowd. Do they get a pardon? I don't think so. The president saying he'll look at… https://t.co/MDUWkd37fP

— JD Vance (@JDVance) January 12, 2025

It wasn’t enough to quell the concerns of some skeptics:

JD Vance said:

“If you committed violence on that day, obviously you shouldn’t be pardoned.”

That’s wrong. There’s nothing “obvious” about it. Nobody received a fair trial. You weren’t talking about informants.

It was a Pence like moment.

— Joseph Pino (@JosephPino_) January 12, 2025

But others were willing to give Vance the benefit of the doubt based on some of his previous actions:

You’ve helped the J6 patriots quite a bit from day 1. We still think Trump should pardon everyone involved because the FBI was pushing and encouraging much of what was happening that day. FBI had agents that were knee deep in the conspiracy!

— Angry Trumper (@AngryTrumper) January 12, 2025

Trump has vowed to make pardoning Jan. 6 defendants a priority upon entering office, though he has also expressed the need to evaluate the merits of each case.

As Fox News reported:

“If you protested peacefully on January 6th, and you’ve had Merrick Garland’s Department of Justice treat you like a gang member, you should be pardoned,” Vance told Fox News’ Shannon Bream during an exclusive one-on-one interview that aired Sunday.

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