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No, police union didn't rescind Trump endorsement over Jan. 6 pardons | Fact check
The claim: Fraternal Order of Police rescinded Trump endorsement after Jan. 6 pardons
A Jan. 23 Facebook post (direct link, archive link) claims a leading police union took significant action in response to President Donald Trump’s decision to pardon Jan. 6 rioters.
“The Fraternal Order of Police, the largest police union in the country, just released a statement rescinding their endorsement of President Trump due to his pardoning of Jan. 6 insurrectionists,” reads the post.
It was shared more than 7,000 times in five days. A similar post on X was reposted more than 11,000 times in five days.
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Our rating: False
The organization did not rescind its endorsement of Trump. It released a statement that says the group is "deeply discouraged" by pardons issued by Trump and former President Joe Biden, but it makes no mention of withdrawing its endorsement.
Police union ‘deeply discouraged’ by Jan. 6 pardons
Shortly after he took office, Trump pardoned more than 1,500 people who were charged in the Jan. 6, 2021, riot at the U.S. Capitol, including hundreds who were accused of assaulting, resisting or impeding law enforcement, USA TODAY reported.
Before his term ended, Biden commuted the life sentence for Leonard Peltier, a Native American activist convicted of murder for the deaths of two FBI agents during a 1975 shootout. The case has been criticized due to allegations of trial misconduct, including conflicting testimony, withheld evidence and potential juror bias, USA TODAY reported.
The only public communication from the Fraternal Order of Police that references those pardons was issued Jan. 21 in the form of a joint statement with the International Association of Chiefs of Police. In it, the organizations said they were “deeply discouraged by the recent pardons and commutations granted by both the Biden and Trump administrations to individuals convicted of killing or assaulting law enforcement officers.”
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However, nothing in that statement indicates the Fraternal Order of Police, the country’s largest police union, rescinded its endorsement of Trump, nor do any other statements on the organization’s website or social media accounts.
The Fraternal Order of Police in September 2024 announced its endorsement of Trump’s candidacy for president, with Patrick Yoes, the group’s president, highlighting public safety and border security as key issues.
USA TODAY reached out to the social media user who shared the post for comment but did not immediately receive a response.
Lead Stories also debunked the claim.
Our fact-check sources
International Association of Chiefs of Police, Jan. 21, Joint IACP-FOP Statement on the Recent Presidential Pardons
Fraternal Order of Police, Sept. 6, 2024, FOP Endorses Trump!
Fraternal Order of Police, accessed Jan. 28, News
The White House, Jan. 20, Statement from President Joe Biden
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This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Fraternal Order of Police didn't take back Trump support | Fact check