Leaders of the Capitol riots Tarrio and Rhodes were released from prison

Rhodes, a former US Army paratrooper and Yale-educated lawyer, has been charged with leading a contingent of Oath members to Washington.

Although Rhodes did not enter the Capitol, he directed his members from the outside, and was sentenced in 2023 to 18 years in prison.

Tarrio was found guilty of conspiracy to sedition – a rare charge of plotting to overthrow a government – over the unrest. He was not in Washington DC during the riots but directed others involved.

He received a 22-year sentence, one of the longest.

Amid pardons and commutations, Trump also signed an order directing the Department of Justice to drop all pending cases against suspects accused in the riots.

A leading advocate for those defendants – Edward R Martin – also served as acting US Attorney for Washington DC, showing the depth of Trump’s desire to end years of prosecutions. The Washington office is responsible for trying cases related to January 6.

Democrats have condemned the release of more than 1,000 people as an attempt to rewrite history and clean up the violence of the riots that led to several deaths.

Trump has described the day as “peaceful” with the rioters jailed or imprisoned as “hostages”.