Rachel Maddow explains that Donald Trump's embrace of political violence on his behalf, particularly after pardoning the January 6 rioters, is a familiar practice among autocrats and has happened in every country that has had to contend with a leader like Trump.

President of the United States of America Donald Trump issues 1,500 ‘unconditional’ pardons over January 6 Capitol attacker.

The President makes good on a campaign promise and issues pardons and commutations over the deadly 2021 insurrection. 

Presidential pardons issued on Monday by Donald Trump a “full, complete and unconditional” for about 1,500 people who were involved in the January 6 attack on Congress, including some convicted of violent acts, making good on his promise to act in such cases on day one of his second term.

He issued commutations for more than a dozen cases, in addition to the pardons, he shortened sentences for those that he said needed “further research”. Among those whose sentences were commuted was Stewart Rhodes, the founder of the far-right Oath Keepers militia.

“This is a big one. We hope they come out tonight, frankly,” Trump said while signing the pardons in the Oval Office on Monday night after he referred to those convicted as “hostages”. Read more.