Users of the social media platform Bluesky expressed outrage following President Donald Trump’s decision to pardon and commute the sentences of individuals involved in the January 6, 2021, Capitol protests. The announcement, made Monday evening shortly after Trump’s return to the Oval Office, sparked heated discussions and emotional responses across the platform.
President Trump confirmed the pardon of approximately 1,500 individuals connected to the protests that followed allegations of widespread fraud in the 2020 presidential election. During his announcement, Trump emphasized that most of the participants were peaceful and unjustly prosecuted under the Biden administration.
“Many of these individuals were treated unfairly as part of a political vendetta,” Trump said. “We are rectifying this grave injustice and restoring fairness to our judicial system.”
While the former president acknowledged that some acts of violence occurred, he argued that the sentences handed down were disproportionate and motivated by political bias rather than justice.
Bluesky, a platform known for its left-leaning user base and stringent content moderation policies, became a hotspot for discussions following Trump’s announcement. Users criticized the pardons, accusing Trump of enabling insurrection and undermining the rule of law.