Donald Trump, inaugurated for a second term as U.S. president, signed numerous executive orders, some of which stirred controversy. Among them, he pardoned nearly a dozen pro-life activists convicted under the FACE Act and “Conspiracy Against Rights,” referring to them as “peaceful protesters.”
Trump stated that 23 people were wrongly prosecuted, many of whom were elderly, fulfilling a campaign promise. The pardons were signed a day before the March for Life in Washington, D.C.
The Thomas More Society argued that Biden’s administration had unfairly targeted pro-life activists while ignoring attacks on pro-life churches. Marjorie Dannenfelser, president of SBA Pro-Life America, praised Trump for acting on his promise, citing harsh sentences like Lauren Handy’s five-year term.
While supporters lauded the move, critics saw it as a controversial use of presidential power.
