Image of JD Vance interviewed on Fox News Sunday regarding pardoning Jan. 6 prisoners

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Right-wing media lashed out at JD Vance for saying violent January 6 defendants shouldn't be pardoned. Trump apparently listened to them.

In response to Vance's interview, right-wing media urged Trump to “save his own supporters” and “pardon everybody”

Written by Jack Wheatley

Research contributions from Alex Kaplan

Published

Last week, just hours after taking the oath of office, President Donald Trump pardoned or commuted the sentences of roughly 1,500 individuals in connection to the January 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol, including those convicted of violent offenses against law enforcement officers. The sweeping decision was at odds with statements made by then-Vice President-elect JD Vance, who previously said on Fox News that “if you committed violence on that day, obviously you shouldn’t be pardoned,” as well as similar comments Trump made to Time magazine in November in which he said he would grant clemency on a “case-by-case” basis.

Vance’s comments on Fox News outraged a number of right-wing media figures who took to the internet to attack Vance and spread baseless conspiracy theories that the attack on the Capitol was a set-up by the government. According to reporting by NOTUS, “after seeing the immense backlash from the base ... Trump made the final decision that nearly everyone would be getting a pardon,” including many violent offenders.

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  • After backlash to Vance's comments that violent January 6 defendants should “obviously” not be pardoned, Trump reportedly changed course

    • On January 12, JD Vance said on Fox News Sunday: “I think it’s very simple. Look, if you protested peacefully on January 6 and you’ve had Merrick Garland’s Department of Justice treat you like a gang member, you should be pardoned. If you committed violence on that day, obviously you shouldn’t be pardoned.” [Fox News, Fox News Sunday, 1/12/25]
    • Following the interview, prominent right-wing media figures and influencers expressed their anger at Vance, including Kevin and Keith Hodge (known online as the Hodgetwins), who posted, “Better rethink what you just said JD.” Vance defended himself in response, writing, “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.” [Media Matters, 9/19/24; Twitter/X, 1/12/25, 1/12/25]
    • NOTUS reported on January 22 that “Trump made the final decision that nearly everyone would be getting a pardon” after the heavy backlash from his supporters against Vance. NOTUS also noted that the decision to grant a blanket pardon may have been what Trump wanted originally, according to a former official, who told the publication, “I think this was a decision by the president, after thinking about it, he got the advice from everybody, and he made the decision he wanted to make.” [NOTUS, 1/22/25] 

  • Right-wing media figures attacked Vance for supporting selective January 6 pardons

    • On InfoWars, conspiracy theorist Alex Jones expressed frustration at Vance, saying, “You're buying into the political lie of January 6 that was a setup to demonize Trump and the populist movement.” He continued, “Feds were in there. They started it. They attacked the crowd with tear gas and pepper spray. And, again, case by case by case, I've never seen any of the people they put in prison that actually did anything they said they did. Nothing.” [InfoWars, The Alex Jones Show, 1/21/25] 
    • On War Room, host Steve Bannon called out Vance, saying, “We love JD, but when he was on Fox and going a little wobbly like Fox wants to — Fox didn't support this at all. Murdochs don't support this. Nobody over there supports this. He got a little wobbly. He got blown up.” [Real America’s Voice, War Room, 1/21/25]
    • White nationalist streamer Nick Fuentes posted on X (formerly Twitter), “If Trump got a ‘get out of jail free’ card, then so should EVERY ONE of his supporters who rallied for him on January 6th.” [Twitter/X, 1/12/25]
    • The Hodgetwins posted on X, “MAGA gonna turn on @JDVance faster than we turned on Mike Pence if they only pardon some J6ers and not all.” [Twitter/X, 1/12/25]
    • Far-right streamer and influencer Stew Peters wrote on Telegram that “JD Vance is a sellout and a traitor.” [Telegram, 1/13/25; Media Matters, 3/13/23]
    • On Telegram, “Stop the Steal” organizer Ali Alexander posted, “Shame on JD Vance for lobbying for President Trump to NOT pardon all January Sixers to kiss up to Bloomberg Media.” He went on, writing, “‘JD’ is a lawyer. If the event was corrupted by government forces, EVERYONE except government actors deserve a full pardon! As President Trump said, haven’t those who have served time, served long enough after a rigged trial??? Shame on ‘J.D.’” [Media Matters, 1/22/21; Telegram, 1/12/25]
    • In a follow-up post, Alexander said, “JD Vance is trying to Mike Pence January Sixers!” [Telegram, 1/12/25]
    • Alexander also posted on his Telegram account: “JD has the spirit of a fat boy, always stealing cookies and screaming when caught. No 2028 for him. Fat coward energy.” In a follow-up post, he added, “JD is lying with malice. This isn’t even a mistake or two sides that see it differently. He got caught and chose to use a similar talking point in order to divide what people understand he’s saying. This is a sin.” [Telegram, 1/12/25]
    • In response to Vance’s reply, the Hodgetwins posted, “you going on Fox and saying only non violent people should get pardoned is bullshit....while innocent J6ers are STILL SITTING IN PRISON after the feds lied about them being violent.” They added that “THOSE are the people we are talking about.” [Twitter/X, 1/12/25]
    • Far-right podcaster Ann Vandersteel, who has promoted conspiracy theories, responded to Vance’s post: “PARDONS FOR ALL J6ERS EXCEPT THE FEDSURRECTIONISTS WHO ENGAGED IN ENTRAPMENT.” [Twitter/X, 1/14/25; Media Matters, 7/26/24]
    • InfoWars host Harrison H. Smith said of Vance, “I’m glad he’s getting pushback. I’m glad he’s having to respond to it,” before adding, “His response is good but not sufficient to me.” He went on, saying, “Pardon everybody, blanket pardon across the board, every single person in any way related to January 6, pardon them immediately,” before calling for “all the people that put everybody in jail ... to go to jail.” [InfoWars, The American Journal, 1/13/25]
    • Later Smith said, “None of them deserved it,” referencing the January 6 participants, and that “as a message explicitly and specifically to JD Vance, this was bad. This was a bad walking back of your stance. You should have never made this statement.” He continued, claiming, “Police started the violence, everything after that is fair game,” and that “it’s troubling that it’s JD Vance saying this.” [InfoWars, The American Journal, 1/13/25]