"Violent Offenders Should Not Be Pardoned"... Vance Shows Temperature Difference with Trump Over 'Capitol Riot'

Regarding Trump's Ambition for Greenland:
"It Is Not a Military Annexation"

J.D. Vance, the vice presidential-elect, expressed the view that those who committed violent acts during the ‘January 6 Capitol riot’?which occurred the year after the 2020 U.S. presidential election results were contested?should not be pardoned.

In an interview with Fox News aired on the 12th (local time), Vance said the issue of pardoning those involved in the January 6 Capitol riot is "very simple," stating, "Those who peacefully protested but were treated like gang members by Attorney General Merrick Garland’s Department of Justice should be pardoned, but those who committed violence that day obviously should not be pardoned."

J.D. Vance, the Vice President-elect, is speaking at the U.S. Senate Finance Committee on March 7, 2023 (local time). Photo by AP Yonhap News

However, Vance acknowledged that "there is a bit of a gray area between violent and non-violent protesters related to the January 6 incident," adding, "We are very committed to equal law enforcement. We believe many people were unfairly prosecuted after January 6, and we need to correct that."

The January 6 Capitol riot was an incident where fervent supporters of then-President Trump stormed the U.S. Capitol in Washington D.C. after refusing to accept the 2020 election results. According to the Associated Press, "More than 100 police officers were injured in the incident, and over 1,500 protesters were charged with federal crimes."

However, there is a slight difference in stance between Vance and President-elect Donald Trump regarding pardons for those involved in the incident. During the last election campaign, Trump had promised broad pardons for these individuals. In an interview with Time magazine last month, when asked if he had decided to pardon all January 6 defendants, Trump replied, "Yes." However, when further asked whether those who committed violent acts would also be included, he avoided a direct answer, saying, "We will look at it case-by-case and proceed very quickly."

In response, Vance seemed mindful of the negative public opinion among supporters expecting unconditional pardons, explaining, "Trump saying he will review each case individually is not backing down. I assure you, we are concerned about those who were unfairly imprisoned."

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On the same day, Vance also spoke about Greenland, a Danish territory that President-elect Trump has shown interest in. He said, "There is a genuine opportunity for us to demonstrate leadership in protecting U.S. security and developing tremendous natural resources," evaluating, "Trump is skilled at making deals. There will be a deal made regarding Greenland."

However, Vance drew a line regarding Trump’s suggestion of a military takeover, which had raised concerns internationally. He emphasized, "We need to ensure Greenland is properly managed from the perspective of U.S. security," but added, "Since U.S. troops are already stationed in Greenland, there is no need to use military force there."