Adam Schiff and Nancy Pelosi React Strongly to Trump's Jan. 6 Pardons: 'A Terrible Way to Begin'

Few figures in politics are as consistently controversial as Nancy Pelosi—though Adam Schiff certainly gives her a run for her money.
Following President Donald Trump’s inauguration and his decision to pardon numerous individuals connected to the events at the Capitol in January 2021, Pelosi and Schiff—key figures in efforts to prevent Trump’s political comeback—were quick to express their outrage.
But who do these two really think they’re convincing?
During an appearance on MSNBC’s "Inside with Jen Psaki," now-Senator Schiff from California called Trump's decision "a terrible way to begin" his second term.
On the social media platform X, Pelosi echoed this sentiment, labeling Trump's action "an outrageous insult to our justice system."
Watch Schiff’s interview with Psaki here:
"It’s obscene," Schiff stated. "It’s a grotesque display of his new power as president to pardon these 1,500 or 1,600 people..."
"Hard to imagine that we were sitting in the Capitol, the site of that attack, and hours later, the man who incited that attack pardons the people who participated in that attack."
"It really is a terrible way to begin."
What’s truly difficult to grasp is how Schiff continues to be taken seriously by any network—even one as partisan as MSNBC.
Schiff has long been a central figure in pushing the "Russia collusion" narrative, which consumed much of Trump’s first term. He later played a major role in Pelosi’s "select committee" on January 6, which critics argue was more about political spectacle than objective inquiry.
Adding fuel to the fire, Schiff was granted a pardon by outgoing President Joe Biden for his involvement in the committee—on the very day Trump took the oath of office. Schiff downplayed the pardon, calling it "unnecessary," according to The Hill, but it's safe to assume he's relieved to have it. Notably, Pelosi did not receive a pardon.
As the former House Speaker, Pelosi spearheaded the Jan. 6 committee and has yet to publicly acknowledge her own potential role in the day's events. She condemned Trump’s pardons as "shameful."
Tonight, the President announced pardons and commutations of sentences for those who violently attacked the Capitol and law enforcement officers on January 6th.
— Nancy Pelosi (@SpeakerPelosi) January 21, 2025
The President's actions are an outrageous insult to our justice system and the heroes who suffered physical scars and…
"It is shameful that the President has decided to make one of his top priorities the abandonment and betrayal of police officers who put their lives on the line to stop an attempt to subvert the peaceful transfer of power," Pelosi wrote on X.
This statement, even by Pelosi standards, is audacious.
Throughout Trump’s first term, Pelosi was a leading figure in a party that often prioritized "defund the police" rhetoric and supported movements that led to widespread unrest in American cities in 2020.
As for the "peaceful transition of power," Pelosi’s party employed numerous tactics—ranging from deep-state investigations to impeachment proceedings—to obstruct Trump’s presidency.
Pelosi’s Democrats orchestrated Trump’s impeachment in 2019-20 over military aid to Ukraine, a charge now seen in a different light due to revelations about Hunter Biden’s foreign business dealings.
If Pelosi’s social media comments were intended to rally anti-Trump sentiment, the immediate responses suggest otherwise.
Here’s a sample:
Interesting that Pelosi doesn't care about the 49 federal USPP officers injured on May 01, 2020 in Lafayette Park. How many of those violent rioters were hunted down, arrested, convicted, and thrown in prison? pic.twitter.com/EprowrKVID
— Robert Cooper (@robertatlee) January 21, 2025
Are we really going to keep doing this performative outrage thing?
— Martian Surveyor (@MartianSurveyor) January 21, 2025
Your time is coming Nancy. We all know what you did and the stain of it will mark your children and grandchildren. You are leaving them a terrible legacy.
— Downtown Fairy (@Downtownfairy) January 21, 2025
Despite their differences in age and career trajectory—Pelosi at 84 and Schiff at 64—the two share significant traits.
Both have a reputation for prioritizing political power over national interest, and both are more likely to be remembered for their persistent opposition to Trump than for any genuine legislative accomplishments.
Their reactions to Trump's pardons serve as a reminder that, in the eyes of many, they remain political figures who have yet to convince anyone beyond their loyal base.