The two main offenders of the Capitol riot were also released...Trump's mass pardon controversy

The controversy is growing as two of the main culprits of the 2021 Capitol riot were released following U.S. President Trump's executive order.

The Associated Press reported that the former leader of the far-right Proud Boys, which led the Capitol riot, and the founder of the Oath Keepers have been released.

The two were serving 22 years in prison and 18 years in prison, respectively, in the first trial for leading the so-called January 6 incident, which broke into the Capitol on January 6 of the following year and went on a rampage.

During the January 6 incident, more than 140 police officers were injured and four Trump supporters and five police officers were killed in direct and indirect effects as Trump supporters occupied the Capitol for seven hours.

President Trump pardoned more than 1,500 people involved in the January 6 incident and commuted 14 in an executive order on his first day in office.

The Associated Press pointed out, "The fact that even Vice President Vance pardoned "police assault participants" who announced the "no amnesty" policy shows that Trump has returned to power while being bold enough to take actions that were considered politically unthinkable in the past."

In a related development, Trump argued at a news conference that the defendants involved were "people who love the country" and that the sentences for some of the initiators were "ridiculously excessive."

The Associated Press says court judges have begun dismissing related cases after Trump's pardon decision, and prosecutors are in the process of closing the cases of officials who have not yet been put on trial.