In what has been described as the most anti-democratic act, President Donald Trump pardoned the vast majority of the 1,600 people arrested for trying to forcibly overturn election results on January 6, 2021, including those who assaulted police officers. Trump ordered all pending cases to be dismissed! In simple terms, Trump’s pardon means that there will be no one in prison or facing any sort of criminal penalty for their actions in trying to overturn democracy.

Unsurprisingly, as a sworn supporter of racist white supremacy, Trump did not pardon a single person who was a member of Antifa or Black Lives Matter. There is no check or balance on the president’s power to pardon as neither a court of law nor Congress can overturn an act of clemency. Amongst those pardoned was the Qanon Shaman, a man famous for painting his face and wearing animal skins on his head while parading shirtless around Capitol Hill.

In exercising his power to pardon, Mr Trump was expressing gratitude for the anti-democratic actions and alleged illegalities committed on his behalf and at his behest. Thankfully, some of those pardoned rejected it having accepted that they acted unlawfully and the constitution must be upheld!

In a move that sparked widespread outrage, President Trump also pardoned two police officers convicted for the 2020 murder of a 20-year-old black man. The jury’s verdict was clear and the officers were found guilty of second degree murder, conspiracy to obstruct and obstruction of justice. The International Association of Chiefs of Police has expressed disappointment and discouragement at Trump’s action which has re-opened wounds and sparked a renewed conversation about police accountability, racial injustice and rule of law in America.

The biggest recipient of the pardon was Trump himself. His pardons were simply an extension of his transactional politics to favour right-wing racist radicals. The excessive number of pardons Trump has given to criminal elements in both his terms of office includes those for people convicted of embezzling campaign contributions, military officers accused of war crimes, murderers and advocates of white supremacy. Trump has successfully pardoned himself and his whole white racist MAGA crew.

There is robust debate as to whether or not the constitution allows a president to issue a pardon to himself. The text of the constitution does not provide any prohibition on self-pardons so it must be permissible. A pardon does not mean that the person is innocent; it just means that the person has been forgiven. Pardon implies that the penalty for an admitted or established offence is remitted. Forgiveness implies that all claims to resentment or vengeful feelings have been relinquished. Once a pardon is granted, the person is considered to be a law-abiding citizen with all rights restored.

During Trump’s first term, he signed 220 Executive Orders, which is the most signed by any president, and as of January 2025, 72 of them have been revoked. Trump began his new presidency by swiftly signing another 26 Executive Orders. These are official documents, numbered consecutively through which presidents manage the operations of the federal government, outline their agenda and institute policies. They do not need congressional approval and have a “force of law” similar to any other law. However, they can be overturned if they are found to be unconstitutional.

Although presidents can sign Executive Orders without approval of Congress, they cannot make laws, declare wars, interpret laws or decide how federal money is to be spent. Even as democracy is still touted as the best form of government, it is quite clear that it has not benefitted the majority.

The fact is that a small number of incredibly wealthy billionaires increasingly own and control government. Even as the majority of people in the nation become poorer, suffering increased hardships, insecurity and crime, the phenomenally rich billionaire class of political office holders and government contractors have taken ownership of police force as their servants and bag carriers and become richer through various forms of treasury looting.  The top 1% of Nigerians own more than 95% of Nigerians. Our democracy is now about the exercise of wealthy privilege, it’s no longer one man one vote, no longer about all of us coming together to decide our future.

There are reasons why the words “unpardonable” and “unforgiveable” are in the English Dictionary. If the American President believes that people who try to overthrow the political process by armed insurrection deserve to be pardoned then he should not condemn successful military coups. Indeed he has made it clear that there is no real use for democracy.