Mobsters

trump surrounds himself with criminals. Always has. As if the list of convicted aides and cronies weren’t enough, he’s now gone further pardoning the January 6 insurrectionists in one of his first acts after clawing back the White House.

These weren’t peaceful protestors. These were the people who stormed the Capitol, attacked police, threatened lawmakers, and tried to overturn a certified election by force. Over 1,500 individuals were charged. Dozens were convicted of serious federal crimes: seditious conspiracy, obstruction of an official proceeding, assault with a deadly weapon. Judges handed down stiff sentences. Some of the Proud Boys and Oath Keepers were facing decades.

Didn’t matter. trump called them “patriots.” He called them “hostages.” Then he freed them.

He commuted sentences for the most notorious ringleaders—like Enrique Tarrio and Stewart Rhodes—and issued blanket pardons for everyone else. The message was clear: if you commit violence for me, I will protect you.

Law enforcement condemned the move. So did veterans, prosecutors, and even a few stunned Republicans—those who still pretend to care about law and order. But the damage is done. trump has rewritten the rule of law to suit one man’s power. Pardoning sedition isn’t about reconciliation. It’s about license.

This isn’t loyalty. It’s not politics. It’s permission.

So, as we begin this list of the criminal’s trump has protected, enabled, or celebrated, let’s be clear: he’s not done yet. The pardons were a promise, not a conclusion.

Allen Weisselberg

• Role: Longtime Trump Organization CFO
• Crimes: Pleaded guilty to 15 counts of tax fraud/grand larceny; later pled guilty to perjury.
• Paul Manafort
  • Role: 2016 Trump campaign chairman
  • Crimes: Convicted of tax fraud, bank fraud, conspiracy/witness tampering; served ~7 years, pardoned.
• Steve Bannon
  • Role: White House Chief Strategist
  • Crimes: Indicted for conspiracy to commit wire fraud and money laundering.
• Rick Gates
  • Role: Deputy Campaign Chairman
  • Crimes: Pleaded guilty to conspiracy against the U.S. and making false statements; sentenced to 45 days in jail.
• Michael Cohen
  • Role: Personal attorney ("fixer")
  • Crimes: Pleaded guilty to tax evasion, bank fraud, and campaign finance violations; served ~3 years.
• Michael Flynn
  • Role: National Security Advisor
  • Crimes: Pleaded guilty to making false statements to the FBI; pardoned by Trump.
• George Papadopoulos
  • Role: Foreign Policy Advisor, Trump campaign
  • Crimes: Pleaded guilty to lying to the FBI; served ~14 days, pardoned.
• Roger Stone
  • Role: Political Adviser
  • Crimes: Convicted of obstruction, witness tampering, and false statements; sentenced to 40 months, later pardoned.
• Sidney Powell, Jenna Ellis, Kenneth Chesebro, John Eastman, Mark Meadows, Jeffrey Clark, Rudy Giuliani
  • Roles: Legal advisors and campaign officials
  • Crimes: Many indicted or pled to conspiracy, falsified documents, or interference in the 2020 election.