When Joe Biggs learned he was being released early from prison by President Donald Trump, a prison guard made sure to set his expectations low.
“You’re still gonna get screwed,” the guard warned him. “You’re not getting pardoned. You’re only getting your sentence commuted, so you’re still a terrorist.” It turned out that the guard’s words were spot on.
Just days after taking office for his second term, Trump made headlines by granting pardons to 1,500 people involved in the January 6, 2021 attack on the U.S. Capitol. But Biggs, a former leader of the far-right Proud Boys, was among a smaller group of 14 individuals whose prison sentences were commuted—meaning they were let out of jail, but their crimes still stood.
“I’m extremely disappointed in him,” Biggs said about Trump during an interview with The Independent.
At his trial, Biggs, who was sentenced to 17 years for seditious conspiracy for his role in the Capitol attack, didn’t blame Trump for his actions. He didn’t complain or blame anyone else. But after his release, he found himself facing new challenges.
“It’s like you’re out of jail, but you’re still in jail,” Biggs says, speaking about his feelings after being released. “Now I’m more of a burden on my family. I’m not bringing anything to the table.”
Biggs is now one of only 14 people in the country still facing serious consequences for the Capitol attack, which has been called the worst assault on U.S. democracy since the Civil War. His story is full of contradictions, much like the extreme elements of Trump’s base: He went to jail for Trump, was forgotten by Trump, but still believes in him.
Over time, Biggs’ views about January 6 have shifted. At his sentencing, he expressed regret for what happened. “On January 6, I was seduced by the crowd,” he said, admitting that he was swept up in the moment. However, now he says, “No, not really” when asked if he regrets his actions that day. He claims his role was not about trying to change the election results, but about following the crowd.
Biggs also regrets losing his pension. As a veteran, he used to receive a monthly pension and health care to treat PTSD and a brain injury from his service in Iraq. But his conviction cut off those benefits.
“I have PTSD, I have anxiety, I have sleeping issues,” Biggs explains. “I’d like to be able to go to the doctor. I’d like to be able to talk to somebody and work on some stuff.”
Despite the damage to his finances and health, Biggs continues to insist that the January 6 events were exaggerated by Democrats and the media to hurt Trump. He says the whole situation was blown out of proportion to attack the former president.
Biggs reached out to MAGA leaders for help after his release, but feels ignored. “All they care about is having you on their show to sell their products,” he complains.
The Trump administration hasn’t explained why some of the January 6 convicts were given commutations instead of pardons. For example, Enrique Tarrio, the Proud Boys leader who received the longest sentence of 22 years, was pardoned because he was not at the Capitol that day. Meanwhile, Biggs and others who were physically there received only commutations, not pardons.
Biggs finds this unfair. “It blows my mind that people who were violent get pardons, but I get treated like a terrorist just for asking a cop for a bathroom,” he says.
Even with all the legal trouble, Biggs insists his actions were not meant to overturn the election, but were the result of being caught up in the crowd. However, prosecutors argue that he was a key figure in planning and leading the attack on the Capitol, even tearing down fences to help others break in.
Despite video evidence and testimony from prosecutors, Biggs still denies he played a leading role. He says he was only inside the Capitol building for a few minutes and didn’t participate in violence.
The Capitol attack remains a defining moment in American politics. Thousands of Trump supporters stormed the Capitol after Trump’s false claims of election fraud. The violence led to injuries for over 140 police officers, the deaths of several individuals, and a national outcry.
Although Trump initially condemned the attack, he later shifted his stance, even calling January 6 a “day of love” and referring to the rioters as “hostages.” Many Republicans now support pardoning those involved in the attack, reflecting Trump’s influence.
Biggs and others, however, argue they were wrongfully prosecuted by the Biden administration, and they continue to fight for pardons. For Biggs, his focus now is on rebuilding his life and figuring out how to move forward. “I don’t know right now. I just want to get all my stuff squared away,” he says.
