Stephen A. Smith slams Donald Trump for pardoning former leaders of the Oath Keepers and Proud Boys
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Donald Trump has put himself above the law after pardoning two notorious former far-right leaders involved in the storming of the Capitol, says Stephen A. Smith. Just hours into his second term as president, Trump sparked major controversy by releasing Stewart Rhodes, founder of anti-government 'militia' the Oath Keepers, and Henry 'Enrique' Tarrio, who previously headed up the Proud Boys extremist group, from prison on Tuesday.
![[Trump has controversially pardoned two far-right leaders, including Stewart Rhodes (pictured)]](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2025/01/23/15/94435237-14317645-image-a-34_1737644678608.jpg)
Rhodes was serving an 18-year sentence for his role in the Capitol riots on January 6, 2021, while Tarrio had been jailed for 22 years. Despite both men being convicted of seditious conspiracy, one of Trump's first acts as president was to release them from prison after signing the clemency order.
![[Proud Boys leader Henry 'Enrique' Tarrio has also been released from his 22-year jail sentence]](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2025/01/23/15/94435257-14317645-image-a-35_1737644681104.jpg)
And while his blanket pardon released at least 1,500 people charged over the riots, which took place after his 2020 election defeat to Joe Biden, Smith believes Rhodes and Tarrio in particular should not have been allowed to walk free. 'In terms of pardoning folks from the riots in the US Capitol on January 6, 2021, I do not agree with that decision by the president of the United States,' the ESPN First Take host said on his YouTube show.
![[Trump has issued a blanket pardon to at least 1,500 charged over the riots on January 6, 2021]](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2025/01/23/15/94396533-14317645-Donald_Trump_defended_his_decision_to_issue_a_blanket_pardon_to_-a-40_1737644873014.jpg)
Donald Trump has already put himself above the law in America, says Stephen A. Smith (left). Trump has controversially pardoned two far-right leaders, including Stewart Rhodes (pictured). Proud Boys leader Henry 'Enrique' Tarrio has also been released from his 22-year jail sentence.
'I do believe that a lot of folks should have been pardoned. But when you bring the Proud Boys and the Oath Keepers [leaders out of prison], and considering the charges that were leveled against them... anybody that engaged in violence, to me that should have been different.
