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Activists slam President Trump as he takes office with a blitz of pardons and executive orders
US President Donald Trump holds up an executive order commuting sentences for people convicted of January 6 offences in the Oval Office of the White House, January 20, 2025, in Washington

ACTIVISTS slam Donald Trump as he fires off a blitz of pardons and orders immediately after taking office as the 47th president of the United States.

Mr Trump began his new term by pardoning around 1,500 of his supporters who stormed the US Capitol on January 6 2021, as well as commuting the sentences of another 14 people, including leaders of the far-right Oath Keepers and the Proud Boys.

Five people died within 36 hours of the attack, including one person shot by Capitol Police, and a police officer who died a day after being assaulted by rioters.

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