Stewart Rhodes Says 12 Jan. 6 Defendants Still Await Pardons After Trump Clemency
Oath Keepers founder Stewart Rhodes confirmed he’s out of prison after a sweeping Jan. 6 pardon action but he says he and several co-defendants still need full pardons and rights restored.
Rhodes’ claim raises tension over how far the Jan. 20, 2025, clemency order went and who it covered and whether more legal fights lie ahead.
According to Rhodes in a recently shared video, “there are still 12 of us — myself, eight Oath Keepers and four Proud Boys who still need pardons.”
Trump’s executive action on January 20, 2025, issued unconditional pardons to most defendants convicted in connection with the Jan. 6 Capitol attack and commuted the sentences of 14 prominent figures, including Rhodes and several Proud Boys and Oath Keepers leaders.
Despite release from prison after his sentence was commuted, Rhodes’ conviction still stands on the record. Courts have since imposed supervised-release conditions on some figures, including requiring permission before entering Washington, DC.
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“I think all of us should be pardoned,” Rhodes said in an earlier interview after his release, signaling he will push for expanded clemency.
The unresolved question now is which Jan. 6 defendants remain outside of Trump’s pardon order and what legal avenues they might pursue to clear their convictions and regain civil rights.
Legal scholars say full pardons would erase the convictions entirely and restore rights like voting or gun ownership, while commutations merely end sentences without clearing records.
In the coming months, it’s likely that some defendants will formally petition the Justice Department or federal courts to clarify their status or pursue full pardons.
For now, questions remain about exactly who the “12” are and whether the White House or DOJ will act on Rhodes’ public push for expanded clemency.
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