Thomas Sanders, for example, kidnapped and brutally murdered 12-year-old Lexis Roberts in 2010, following the murder of her mother. Jorge Avila Torrez, another recipient of Biden’s reprieve, had been convicted of multiple murders, including the killing of two young girls.
Trump Reacts to Commuted Sentences
Former President Donald Trump’s response to Biden’s clemency was swift and scathing.
On Truth Social, Trump condemned the commutations, writing, “To the 37 most violent criminals, who killed, raped, and plundered like virtually no one before them, but were just given, incredibly, a pardon by Sleepy Joe Biden, I refuse to wish a Merry Christmas to those lucky ‘souls’ but, instead, will say, GO TO HELL!”
Trump’s remarks highlighted his dissatisfaction with Biden’s decision, particularly as it pertained to those convicted of severe crimes.
The White House clarified that the commutations were not pardons but reductions of sentences to life imprisonment without parole.
A Christmas Message
Trump’s holiday message extended beyond his critique of Biden’s commutations.
