Trump Grants Pardons to January 6 Defendants

President Donald Trump issued new pardons on January 6 for two individuals charged in separate cases. Among them is Suzanne Kaye, who received an 18-month prison sentence for allegedly threatening an FBI agent in a social media post.

Kaye had been scheduled to meet with FBI agents on January 31, 2021, regarding her presence at the Capitol during the January 6 riot. On the same day, she posted a video claiming she would “shoot” if the agents came to her home. The FBI became aware of her posts on February 8, 2021, and arrested her shortly after at her residence in Florida.

A White House official shared with Fox News Digital that Kaye is susceptible to seizures due to stress, and experienced one in 2023 during the verdict reading. They characterized her statements as a form of political speech protected by the First Amendment.

In a separate matter, Daniel Wilson, another January 6 defendant, remains incarcerated after pleading guilty to firearms charges, even after being included in the pardon granted on January 20, 2025. The White House indicated that Trump decided to grant Wilson an additional pardon after a firearm was found during a search of his home related to the riot.

Although Wilson was pardoned for his January 6 charges, he was still serving a five-year sentence for firearms-related charges and was not set to be released until 2028. Initially, the Trump administration’s Justice Department stated that firearms charges wouldn’t be included under the Jan. 6 pardons but later shifted its stance without offering much explanation.

In Trump’s initial pardon announcement, he stated that he would commute sentences for those “convicted of crimes related to the events that occurred on or near the United States Capitol on January 6, 2021.” However, this included Jan. 6 charges but excluded firearms charges.

Judge Dabney Friedrich, appointed by Trump, had expressed skepticism about expanding the pardon’s reach, criticizing Trump’s interpretation of “related” as too broad.

Wilson, who has previously identified as associated with the Oath Keepers and Gray Ghost Partisan Rangers militia, was reported to be relieved by the president’s decision. His attorneys commented that this “act of mercy” shines a light on the disparities that have divided the nation.

Fox News Digital has sought comments from the Department of Justice and Wilson’s legal representatives.