— Trump War Room (@TrumpWarRoom) January 23, 2025

In their request for clemency, attorneys representing the activists described them as victims of the “weaponization of the Justice Department by the Biden Administration.” They argued that while Biden’s prosecutors largely ignored incidents of vandalism and firebombing at pro-life churches and pregnancy centers, they aggressively pursued pro-life protesters.

Marjorie Dannenfelser, president of SBA Pro-Life America, praised Trump’s decision. “We thank President Trump for immediately delivering on his promise to free pro-life protesters who [were] targeted and imprisoned by [President Joe] Biden’s Department of Justice,” she said. “Pro-life moms, grandmothers, and even Eva Edl, a Communist prison camp survivor, were thrown in jail for peacefully protesting abortion.”

She also highlighted the severe sentences imposed, citing Lauren Handy’s five-year sentence for attempting to expose evidence of late-term and potentially illegal abortions.

While Trump’s supporters applauded his move as a stand for pro-life advocacy, critics viewed it as a highly controversial use of presidential power.