Trump administration to pay $5 million to family of Jan. 6 rioter Ashli Babbitt

Newsweek

Trump Admin Reaches $5M Settlement With Ashli Babbitt's Family: Report

Daily Mail

Trump pardons ALL Jan 6 rioters and declares Mexican drug cartels 'terrorists' in first White House press conference

Guardian

Trump officials reportedly reach $5m settlement in January 6 wrongful death suit

New York Post

Family of Jan. 6 rioter Ashli Babbitt gets $5M settlement in wrongful death lawsuit: reports

AlterNet

'Despicable': Critics outraged after Ashli Babbitt's family awarded $5 million from Trump

Breitbart

Trump administration agrees to pay nearly $5M to settle suit over Ashli Babbitt shooting in Capitol

Donald Trump

Ty Cobb

Karoline Leavitt

Mark Osler

Derrick Evans

Jake Lang

Gil Soffer

Paula Calloway

Noah Bookbinder

Joseph Biggs

"It's going to be some [Jan. 6 defendants], not all" who will receive clemency.

"Will he do it? I don't know, but he says that he will, and odds are that he will."

"I do believe Donald J. Trump will pardon us, and he should. We didn't do anything."

"[I]t's undeniable that, if elected yet again (heaven forbid), [Trump] can issue all these possible pardons related to the efforts to cling to power."

"I'm 100 percent confident President-elect Trump will pardon the non-violent protesters."

"[H]e will pardon January 6th protestors who are wrongfully imprisoned [on a case-by-case basis]."

"Oh, absolutely, I would... If they're innocent, I would pardon them."

Will Trump Pardon Jan. 6 Rioters?

The New York Times

Laurence Tribe

John Yoo

Richard Blumenthal

Jeffrey Crouch

Gregory Germain

Mary Lawton

Richard Painter

Duncan Levin

Kim Wehle

Janna Brancolini

Margaret Love

Steve Duffy

"The last thing I'd ever do is give myself a pardon."

"Under the fundamental rule that no one may be a judge in his own case, it would seem that the question should be answered in the negative."

Trump "would have no ability to pardon himself by law [because his case is not subject to a federal pardon]."

"He [Trump] absolutely cannot pardon himself."

"The answer has to be no."

Trump "could very well attempt to self-pardon, but it's entirely unclear how that would turn out."

"[T]he pardon power is virtually unlimited, completely discretionary. So, conceivably, he [Trump] could pardon himself."

There is every indication from Trump that he "more likely will pardon himself."

"[I]t becomes much likelier that, for the first time since the Constitution was ratified in 1789, a president will issue a pardon to himself, or at least try to."

Will Trump Pardon Himself?

Trump 2024 Election Promises

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The Trump administration has agreed to pay nearly $5 million to settle a wrongful death lawsuit filed by the family of Ashli Babbitt, who was fatally shot by Capitol Police during the Jan. 6, 2021 riot while attempting to breach the House Speaker's Lobby.

The Trump administration has agreed to pay nearly $5 million to settle a wrongful death lawsuit filed by the family of Ashli Babbitt, who was fatally shot by Capitol Police during the Jan. 6, 2021 riot while attempting to breach the House Speaker's Lobby.

Approximately one-third of the settlement amount will go to the family's legal team, including the conservative group Judicial Watch and attorney Richard Driscoll. The settlement resolves a $30 million lawsuit filed by Babbitt's estate.

Fox 59

Approximately one-third of the settlement amount will go to the family's legal team, including the conservative group Judicial Watch and attorney Richard Driscoll. The settlement resolves a $30 million lawsuit filed by Babbitt's estate.

U.S. Capitol Police Lt. Michael Byrd shot Babbitt, an unarmed 35-year-old Air Force veteran, as she attempted to climb through a broken window of a barricaded door when members of Congress were being evacuated from the area.

Huffington Post

U.S. Capitol Police Lt. Michael Byrd shot Babbitt, an unarmed 35-year-old Air Force veteran, as she attempted to climb through a broken window of a barricaded door when members of Congress were being evacuated from the area.

The lawsuit said the Justice Department "should have known" that the officer was "prone to behave in a dangerous or otherwise incompetent manner," adding "Ashli posed no threat to the safety of anyone."

Washington Post

The lawsuit said the Justice Department "should have known" that the officer was "prone to behave in a dangerous or otherwise incompetent manner," adding "Ashli posed no threat to the safety of anyone."

The Justice Department and Capitol Police had previously cleared Byrd of any wrongdoing in 2021, concluding that he acted in self-defense and defense of the members of Congress.

United States Department of Justice

The Justice Department and Capitol Police had previously cleared Byrd of any wrongdoing in 2021, concluding that he acted in self-defense and defense of the members of Congress.

This comes after President Donald Trump <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.verity.news/story/2025/trump-takes-office-plans-record-day-one-executive-orders">issued blanket pardons</a> for over 1,500 Capitol riot defendants and ordered the dismissal of all pending riot-related cases on his first day back in office.

This comes after President Donald Trump issued blanket pardons for over 1,500 Capitol riot defendants and ordered the dismissal of all pending riot-related cases on his first day back in office.

This payout is a grave miscarriage of justice and sets a dangerous precedent that could encourage future violent protests and demoralize officers who risk their lives to defend democratic institutions. It sends a chilling message to law enforcement and undermines their ability to maintain order.

This payout is a grave miscarriage of justice and sets a dangerous precedent that could encourage future violent protests and demoralize officers who risk their lives to defend democratic institutions. It sends a chilling message to law enforcement and undermines their ability to maintain order.

Rolling Stone

Trump Is Giving Millions in Taxpayer Money to Family of Rioter Killed on Jan. 6

BBC News

US to pay $5m to family of 6 January rioter Ashli Babbitt

Democratic narrative

This settlement acknowledges the excessive and unnecessary use of lethal force against an unarmed veteran who posed no immediate threat. The plainclothes officer failed to issue proper warnings or attempt de-escalation before resorting to deadly force, violating standard police protocols and Babbitt's constitutional rights.

This settlement acknowledges the excessive and unnecessary use of lethal force against an unarmed veteran who posed no immediate threat. The plainclothes officer failed to issue proper warnings or attempt de-escalation before resorting to deadly force, violating standard police protocols and Babbitt's constitutional rights.

Washington Times

Us Pay Almost 5 Million Family Jan 6 Rioter Ashli Babbitt

Republican narrative

There's a 15.7% chance that President Trump will formally invoke the Insurrection Act before 2026, according to the Metaculus prediction community.

There's a 15.7% chance that President Trump will formally invoke the Insurrection Act before 2026, according to the Metaculus prediction community.

Metaculus

Will President Trump formally invoke the Insurrection Act before 2026?

Nerd narrative

Tasos Katopodis/Stringer/Getty Images News via Getty Images

Tasos Katopodis/Stringer/Getty Images News via Getty Images