Following the 2021 electoral defeat of former U.S. President Donald Trump, Trump's ardent supporters, who staged a riot at the U.S. Capitol, transformed into influencers after receiving pardons. 'J6ers' is a term that combines the number representing January 6 and the plural suffix '-ers' from English, referring to those involved in the riot.
On the 14th (local time), The Washington Post (WP) reported in an article titled 'Those who stormed the Capitol are selling products' that 'the rioters who had been hiding or not welcomed on mainstream platforms have gained a new identity as influencers thanks to President Trump's massive pardons and successful re-election bid.'
According to WP, about 40 people are currently promoting themselves as 'J6ers' online. They are generating revenue through various activities such as podcast hosting, declaring candidacies for public office, and selling merchandise. One man, convicted of assaulting a police officer during the Capitol riot, is currently selling '$50 J6 hostage' T-shirts and is touring 22 cities nationwide.
Another man who introduced himself as a 'J6er' is raising funds for a camper tour across the United States with his wife on social media platform X (formerly Twitter). A man who paraded around the Capitol holding Speaker Nancy Pelosi's lectern is now selling toy lecterns worth $200 with his silhouette engraved on them.
Many rioters are actively engaging on the social media platform X, operated by Elon Musk, a close associate of President Trump. They claim there are no worries about punishment even if they openly admit to being participants in the Jan. 6 riot on X. Unlike other social media platforms such as Facebook, X has been relatively lenient regarding censorship of false election information, making it a major online hub for the 'Make America Great Again' (MAGA) movement during last year's U.S. presidential election.
WP noted, 'The rioters are taking inspiration from Trump, the 'master of transactions,' stating, 'President Trump is the first sitting president in history to auction off the suit jacket worn during his mug shot, and to have the mug shot image framed in the Oval Office or printed on T-shirts and coffee mugs.' The mug shot was taken when Trump was indicted in Georgia in 2023 for contesting the 2020 presidential election results.
The Jan. 6 Capitol riot was an incident in which President Trump's fervent supporters stormed the Capitol, asserting 'election fraud' due to their discontent with the 2020 U.S. presidential election results. The incident resulted in deaths of several Trump supporters and police officers, and at least 140 police officers were injured. The Capitol suffered damages amounting to approximately $1.5 million.
However, the circumstances of the rioters changed after President Trump took office. In his first week, President Trump pardoned about 1,500 of his supporters involved in the Capitol riot, and commuted the sentences of 14 others. Two main perpetrators, sentenced to 22 years and 18 years in prison, were also released from jail. Officials from the Trump administration are also considering federal compensation for them.
The rioters overwhelmingly express that thanks to the pardons, they could regain what they lost after storming the Capitol. John Johnson, 40, living in Sarasota, Florida, said, 'I lost $100,000 in lawyer fees and $5,000 in fines, and couldn't find a proper job due to the photos taken at the time. Thanks to the pardon, I can now earn money again.'
Some argue that the transformation of the rioters into 'influencers' reflects a shift in American culture where anyone can become famous. Freddy Cruz, a manager at the Western States Center, which tracks extremist ideologies, stated, 'The rise of the rioters shows that the polarized American online ecosystem is spreading partisan lies and reinterpreting history,' adding, 'Their main concern is not accuracy but simply social participation.'