JD Vance faces conundrum over January 6 pardons

Nine days before he was sworn in, JD Vance said it was obvious violent January 6 offenders should not be pardoned. Donald Trump did it anyway. What will his Vice President say now?

It was “very simple”, JD Vance said. “If you committed violence” during the January 6 invasion of the US Capitol four years ago, then “obviously you shouldn’t be pardoned”.

This was not a loose prognostication from the first-term senator, but an emphatic declaration from the Vice President-elect nine days before he and Donald Trump were sworn in.

US Vice President JD Vance looks on as President Donald Trump delivers remarks in Emancipation Hall following his inauguration. Picture: AFP

As it turns out, this was not obvious to Mr Trump.

In one of his first acts after returning to the Oval Office, the President pardoned almost everyone who had been charged or convicted over their involvement in the plot to stop the transfer of power after his 2020 election defeat.

People like David Dempsey, who stomped on the heads of police officers and sprayed them with pepper spray.

Proud Boys member Harry Fox is hugged by Stephanie Liu and Arthur Liu from New York outside the DC Central Detention Facility in Washington, DC. Picture: Getty Images

People like Robert Palmer, who attacked officers with a wooden plank and a fire extinguisher.

People like Devlyn Thompson, who hit an officer with a metal baton.

Almost 1600 pardons were issued by the President.

The only people involved in January 6 to miss out – the leaders of the far-right Proud Boys and Oath Keepers who faced the most serious charges including of seditious conspiracy – still had their sentences commuted.

How will Mr Trump’s Vice President defend this?

In all likelihood, if and when he is asked, Mr Vance will somehow seek to explain away their differences, pretending as though he did not also say several months ago: “If you beat up a cop, of course you deserve to go to prison.”

Supporters of US President Donald Trump, including member of the QAnon conspiracy group Jake Angeli, aka Yellowstone Wolf, entered the US Capitol on January 6, 2021. Picture: AFP

On a handful of occasions after becoming Mr Trump’s running mate, Mr Vance found himself out over his skis publicly, only to row back his opinions when Mr Trump contradicted him.

Now that they have been sworn in, however, there is a crucial difference.

The next election campaign begins the moment the last one ends.

US President Donald Trump and Vice President JD Vance talk before being sworn in. Picture: Getty Images

And as of right now, given Mr Trump cannot run again, Mr Vance is the frontrunner to be the Republican presidential candidate in 2028.

Should he go on the record to support pardoning criminals who attacked police officers, he will know those clips will inevitably be resurfaced by his future opponents.

Because, rather unsurprisingly, regular Americans overwhelmingly side with police and not thugs.

Members of the Proud Boys march in support of US President-elect Donald Trump in the street in Washington, DC, on Inauguration Day. Picture: AFP

Polling in recent weeks found Mr Trump’s proposed January 6 pardons were among the least popular elements of his agenda.

Three-quarters of voters – including a clear majority of Republicans – opposed granting clemency to those who committed violence.

The President did it anyway. It put his Vice President in a pickle – and probably not for the last time.