IN SUMMARY

by Alfredo Cuéllar

From pardoning violent insurrectionists and sexual offenders to punishing honest prosecutors and rewarding corrupt officials—Donald Trump turned presidential clemency into a political weapon, and violence into a badge of loyalty. In post-Trump America, political loyalty seems to outweigh the law. Mass pardons for Capitol rioters, forgiveness for officials who incited violence, and retaliation against prosecutors who did their duty paint a picture in which public morality is subordinated to power.

Mass Pardon for January 6 Insurrectionists

On January 20, 2025, Donald Trump granted pardons to more than 1,500 people involved in the assault on the Capitol. Among them were 14 leaders of extremist militias such as Stewart Rhodes (Oath Keepers) and Enrique Tarrio (Proud Boys), convicted of seditious conspiracy.

There was no shortage of cases involving direct violence against law enforcement: David Dempsey, sentenced to 20 years for trampling officers; Peter Schwartz, given 14 years for attacking with chairs; and DJ Rodríguez, who used a taser—an electroshock weapon designed to temporarily incapacitate a person through electrical discharges—against an officer. Even the “QAnon Shaman” celebrated on social media: “I JUST GOT A PARDON BABY!”.

The ethical damage is clear: sending the message that political violence can be forgiven if it has presidential backing erodes the rule of law.

The Agent Who Shouted “Kill Them” and Returned to Power

Jared Wise, a former FBI agent and Justice Department adviser, was caught on video urging the crowd to attack police. After facing criminal charges, he received Trump’s pardon and was appointed Director of Internal Investigations at the DOJ.

As in previous cases, rewarding an official who incited violence against his colleagues degrades the standards of integrity in public service.

Prosecutors Punished for Doing Justice

Mike Gordon, the federal prosecutor who led key January 6 cases, was fired after the mass pardon. Known for his integrity, his dismissal is widely seen as political retaliation. Once again, firing prosecutors for enforcing the law undermines judicial independence and subjugates justice to partisan interests.

Judges and Experts Warn of Abuse of Power

Legal scholars have described these pardons as an abuse of power and “rewards for accomplices in an attempted coup.” Federal Judge Royce Lamberth stated he could not recall “justifications so lacking in merit” for criminal acts. The contempt for ethics and professional dignity spreads like a plague in an administration that distorts legal reasoning, weakens trust in the judicial system, and dismantles the impartiality that should underpin democracy

Beyond the Capitol: Selective Clemency

Trump also pardoned Ross Ulbricht, creator of the illicit Silk Road marketplace, and Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene has requested clemency for George Santos, convicted of fraud after an impeachment forced him to resign from Congress. Normalizing political clemency for questionable allies perpetuates the notion that partisan loyalty is a free pass.

Trump: A Career Marked by Aggression and Abuse of Power

Trump’s pardon policy is not an isolated incident but the continuation of a pattern of behavior forged over decades.

In his personal and business life, Trump has been accused of verbal abuse, public humiliation, and systematic attacks on opponents and critics. Numerous women have accused him of sexual assault—claims he has denied but which form part of a long list of lawsuits and out-of-court settlements.

In the corporate arena, he frequently used strategic lawsuits (SLAPP suits) to financially strangle adversaries, as well as legal proceedings to intimidate journalists, former partners, and ex-employees.

Once in politics, he brought the same confrontational strategy to the national stage: personal insults from the presidential podium, threats to the media, pressure on judges and prosecutors, and the use of the machinery of the State as a weapon against those he considers enemies. His legacy blends rhetorical violence, selective legal pressure, and a cult of personal loyalty above the law—making the pardons of insurrectionists and allies entirely consistent with his style of exercising power.

Republicans Before History

The systematic practice of pardoning allies, even violent or corrupt ones, undermines the pillars of public service and democratic morality. In the Trump era, impunity is not a mistake—it is a strategy. The message is clear: if you are loyal, no matter what you have done, a pardon will always be waiting.

The “Trump” case, as a political phenomenon, is a dark chapter in this nation’s history. But equally questionable are his most fanatical followers and Republican leaders who, by allowing his impunity and failing to demand accountability, doom themselves to an even harsher reckoning with history.

Ethics, morality, values, and the principles that sustain public service—and should guide human conduct in general—may be discredited today, but they will not disappear from civilization. History teaches us that dictators and governments that turn their backs on these principles inevitably collapse with a crash.

When that collapse comes, it will inevitably open the way for ethics and morality to reclaim the place they should never have lost in public life. No nation can sustain itself indefinitely on impunity, lies, and contempt for the values that guarantee its own survival.

Dr. Alfredo Cuéllar is an expert in Micropolitics, an international consultant, and a retired professor from California State University, Fresno. He has worked at dozens of universities, including Harvard. His articles focus on migration, politics, sociology, culture, and current affairs. Comments and inquiries: alfredocuellar@me.com