President Donald Trump told Newsmax’s Greg Kelly on Tuesday that “there is talk about” providing compensation for people who went to jail for January 6th-related crimes.
Kelly asked the president if there were any talks about paying these people who lost out on income due to them being incarcerated.
“There is talk about that,” Trump said.
Trump added many people in government talk about it and like the January 6 defendants.
The president called the people who participated in the January 6 riot “patriots.”
“They were treated very unfairly,” he explained.
On Trump’s first day in office, he pardoned all January 6th defendants except eight people who had their sentences commuted. His pardons stopped ongoing criminal investigations related to January 6.
“This proclamation ends a grave national injustice that has been perpetrated upon the American people over the last four years and begins a process of national reconciliation,” the pardon says.
President Trump addresses the latest on the case of Ashli Babbitt, the Trump supporter who was shot and killed at the Capitol on Jan 6, 2021, rips the police shooting, the overall treatment of now-pardoned defendants, and the actions of the former House J6 select committee. pic.twitter.com/kPXPyGVuJT
— NEWSMAX (@NEWSMAX) March 26, 2025
Also, during the interview, Kelly asked Trump about Ashli Babbitt. Currently, her family is suing the Department of Justice over her death at the January 6 riot. The trial for this case is set to take place next year. According to The Hill, the suit seeks $30 million.
“The Department of Justice is still fighting that case. The family of Ashli Babbitt is suing the government for wrongful death. The DOJ right now officially is opposing that lawsuit trying to justify it. Shouldn’t that be something that can just be settled at this point?” Kelly asked.
Trump said he would look into the Babbit case, saying this was the first time he had heard about it.
The president stated he was a “big fan” of Babbitt, who was “a really good person.”
“[Michael Byrd] did something to her that was unthinkable when he shot her. I think it is a disgrace,” Trump explained.
Kelly told Trump that Byrd received a raise, a medal, and a promotion because of this event.
Trump said “this was a disgrace,” as well.
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Zachery Schmidt is the digital editor of The Star News Network. Email tips to Zachery at [email protected]. Follow Zachery on Twitter @zacheryschmidt2.
Background Photo “January 6 Riot” by Tyler Merbler. CC BY 2.0.
