Thu Jan 23 23:43:45 UTC 2025: ## Trump Pardons 23 Anti-Abortion Protesters Ahead of March for Life

**Washington D.C.** – Former President Donald Trump issued pardons to 23 anti-abortion protesters on Thursday, claiming they were unjustly prosecuted under the Biden administration. The White House described the individuals as peaceful protesters, though US media reports indicate they were convicted for blocking access to abortion clinics. Trump, speaking in the Oval Office, emphasized their advanced age and insisted they should not have faced prosecution. He is scheduled to address the annual March for Life via video message on Friday, while Vice President JD Vance will attend in person.

This action comes as Trump continues a spree of pardons since the start of his second term, having previously pardoned individuals involved in the January 6th Capitol attack and two police officers convicted in a separate case. While Trump has previously avoided taking a firm stance on federal abortion restrictions, stating he prefers to leave the matter to individual states, he has repeatedly taken credit for the Supreme Court’s 2022 decision overturning Roe v. Wade. Since that ruling, numerous states have implemented restrictive abortion laws. The timing of the pardons, issued just before a major anti-abortion rally, is seen by many as a calculated move to appeal to his conservative base.

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