"Donald Trump hints at plans to release January 6 rioters in retaliation for Joe Biden's pardon of his son."

President-elect Donald Trump has hinted at the possibility of granting clemency to January 6 rioters in response to President Joe Biden's decision to pardon his son, Hunter Biden. In a statement issued on Sunday, December 1, Biden defended his action, claiming his son had been “singled out” and “unfairly prosecuted” because of his family name. The official pardon, granted by Biden, is irreversible and cannot be rescinded by Trump once he takes office.

Hunter Biden was set to face sentencing for two separate cases: a federal gun conviction on December 12 and a federal tax evasion charge on December 16, for which he pleaded guilty earlier this year. Reacting publicly for the first time to the pardon, Trump wrote, “Does the Pardon given by Joe to Hunter include the J-6 Hostages, who have now been imprisoned for years? Such an abuse and miscarriage of Justice!”

Fox News commentator Charlie Hurt also weighed in, calling for clemency for the January 6 defendants. “I think [Trump] should commute the sentences of all of them and pardon every single one who was just following others through the Capitol,” Hurt stated. “For those who did more, their sentences should still be commuted. Let them all out!”

The Justice Department has reported that 140 police officers were assaulted during the Capitol attack, including 80 U.S. Capitol Police and 60 officers from DC's Metropolitan Police Department. To date, over 1,200 individuals have been charged in connection with the January 6 events, ranging from assaulting police officers to interfering with Congress's certification of Joe Biden’s electoral victory.