President Donald Trump granted a second pardon to Daniel Edwin Wilson, a defendant convicted for his involvement in the January 6, 2021, U.S. Capitol riot, because of a separate conviction for illegally possessing firearms, the Associated Press reported on Saturday.
Wilson remained in jail despite an earlier sweeping clemency order for individuals linked to the riot. He received a five-year prison sentence in 2024 after pleading guilty to conspiring to impede or injure police officers and illegally possessing firearms at his home.
Newsweek has reached out to the White House by email Saturday for further comment.
Why It Matters
Wilson’s second pardon marks an expansion of presidential clemency, raising legal and ethical questions about the boundaries of executive power.
Trump had already issued blanket pardons and sentence commutations to nearly 1,600 people convicted or charged with offenses related to the Capitol riot during his first day in office of his second term in January.
However, Wilson’s continued incarceration for a firearms conviction exposed a gray area about whether Trump’s pardons extended to additional offenses uncovered during federal investigations.
This new pardon underscores the depth of Trump’s commitment to his supporters involved in efforts to overturn his 2020 election loss to former President Joe Biden and illuminates ongoing debates about accountability, law enforcement, and executive privilege.
What To Know
In his pardon, Trump noted that Wilson’s separate firearms violation would not have been charged if authorities hadn’t searched his home due to the January 6 investigation.
A White House official told the AP on Saturday that “because the search of Mr. Wilson’s home was due to the events of January 6, and they should have never been there in the first place, President Trump is pardoning Mr. Wilson for the firearm issues.” The official requested anonymity because they weren’t authorized to publicly discuss the case.
While pardoned for this role in the riot, Wilson of Louisville, Kentucky, remained imprisoned due to a separate conviction for possessing six guns and approximately 4,800 rounds of ammunition—a violation given his prior felony record.
After Trump’s second, specific pardon to address the firearm offense, Wilson was released from prison on Friday evening, according to his lawyer, the AP reported. Wilson was supposed to be in prison until 2028.
Wilson’s case ignited debate over the limits of presidential pardons. Trump-appointed U.S. District Judge Dabney Friedrich called it “extraordinary” that prosecutors argued the first pardon applied to Wilson’s illegal possession of firearms uncovered during searches relating to January 6 prosecutions.
Prosecutors said Wilson planned for the Capitol riot for weeks and communicated with members of the far-right Oath Keepers and Three Percenters, according to the AP.
After pleading guilty, Wilson said at his sentencing that he regretted entering the Capitol that day but “got involved with good intentions.”
What People Are Saying
George Pallas, attorney for Daniel Wilson, said in an email to AP on November 15, 2025: “We are grateful that President Trump has recognized the injustice in my client’s case and granted him this pardon. Mr. Wilson can now reunite with his family and begin rebuilding his life.”
Daniel Wilson, in a message on November 9, 2020, according to AP: “I’m willing to do whatever. Done made up my mind. I understand the tip of the spear will not be easy. I’m willing to sacrifice myself if necessary. Whether it means prison or death.”
President Donald Trump said in an executive order on January 20, 2025: “I further direct the Attorney General to pursue dismissal with prejudice to the government of all pending indictments against individuals for their conduct related to the events at or near the United States Capitol on January 6, 2021. The Bureau of Prisons shall immediately implement all instructions from the Department of Justice regarding this directive.”
