Trump signs pardons for 1,500 Capitol rioters

US President Donald Trump signed pardons Monday for some 1,500 participants in the January 6, 2021 riot at the US Capitol by his supporters who attempted to overturn the 2020 election.

“These are the hostages – approximately 1,500 people – for a pardon, full pardon,” Trump said at a signing ceremony shortly after arriving at the White House.

“We hope they come out tonight frankly,” he said. “They’re expecting it.”

More than 1,500 people were charged in connection with the assault on Congress by Trump supporters who were seeking to disrupt certification of Democrat Joe Biden’s election victory.

Trump repeatedly pledged during his election campaign to pardon those who took part in the attack, calling them “hostages”, “patriots” and “political prisoners”.

Trump, whose first term as president ended under the cloud of the Capitol assault, has repeatedly played down the unprecedented violence of January 6, even going so far as to describe it as a “day of love”.