Washington [US], January 22: Supporters of Donald Trump who attacked the U.S. Capitol four years ago will start leaving prison on Tuesday, pardoned by the new president in a flurry of Inauguration Day executive orders showing intent to stamp radical change on the country.
Trump was expected to sign more executive orders on Tuesday, after measures issued on Monday that included moves to curb immigration and roll back environmental regulation as well as a 75-day delay in enforcement of a ban on short-video app TikTok.
The Republican president's pardon of 1,500 defendants drew outrage from lawmakers who were endangered in the Jan. 6, 2021, attack, when thousands of Trump supporters stormed the Capitol in an unsuccessful attempt to prevent Congress certifying his 2020 election loss to Democrat Joe Biden.
The pardons were among orders Trump signed within hours of taking office, returning in a mood of triumph to the White House after winning last November's election. In his inaugural speech he criticized Biden's presidency and portrayed himself as chosen by God to save a faltering nation.
Source: Fijian Broadcasting Cooperation
