Trump pardons anti-abortion protesters a day before annual March for Life rally
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Trump Pardons Anti-Abortion Activists Prior to March
Above: Anti-abortion activists arrive for the March for Life rally on the National Mall on Jan. 24, 2025. Image copyright: Bill Clark/Contributor/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images
The Spin
Democratic narrative
These pardons — coming on the heels of Trump granting clemency to the Jan. 6 rioters and others convicted of violent crimes — demonstrate how Trump and the Republicans talk about being tough on crime but don't follow through when the bad actors are political allies.
Republican narrative
These pardons rectify unjust political prosecutions that targeted peaceful protesters, including elderly individuals and religious activists. These heroes were exercising their First Amendment rights and should never have been prosecuted in the first place.