Former Olympic swimmer Klete Keller was pardoned by President Donald Trump on Monday, over four years after he stormed the US Capitol building during the January 6 riot. The five-time Olympic medalist, speaking to The Washington Post, said he “regretted” his actions and described the pardon as “such an amazing feeling of relief.”
Keller, who pleaded guilty to a felony charge of obstructing an official proceeding in 2021, was in disbelief following the news of his pardon, one of Trump’s first acts as president in his second term. “Waking up this morning, I was like, ‘My gosh. Wow, this is over. I don’t have to check in with my probation officer anymore,'” Keller told the outlet.
The 42-year-old swimmer had been sentenced to six months of home confinement and three years of probation in 2023. The judge acknowledged that Keller was cooperative and remorseful and allowed him to avoid jail time, even though prosecutors sought a 10-month prison sentence.
On January 6, 2021, Keller was captured on security footage wearing a Team USA jacket. He illegally entered the US Capitol during the riot, disrupting the certification of Joe Biden’s 2020 presidential victory. He admitted to resisting police efforts to remove him and participating in profane chants targeting Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and then-House Speaker Nancy Pelosi.
Reflecting on his actions, Keller described being swept up in the mob’s fervour while in a “very emotional, dark place” at the time. “I really regret the actions I took that day. I love this country,” he said. “I’m just so grateful that I have the opportunity now to move forward.”
Prosecutors revealed that Keller attempted to destroy evidence by later throwing away his Team USA jacket and smashing his cell phone. “I felt justified at the time,” he said, but admitted, “we really short-circuited the whole process.”
The fallout from his involvement was immense. He lost his real estate job, struggled financially due to legal fees, and saw his relationships suffer. “I felt like I was at the bottom of the ocean with the weight of the justice system crushing me,” he said, reflecting on the emotional toll. But the Olympian said he gained valuable life lessons. “One minute I would be raging against what I felt was the unfairness. And the next minute I would say, well, I brought this all on myself by my actions.”
Trump’s mass pardon of nearly 1,600 individuals involved in the January 6 riot has drawn sharp criticism. Keller did not campaign for a pardon but was still grateful. “I’m still trying to comprehend it. I feel like something has been restored to me,” he said. “I’ve learned a lot of lessons. And I’m going to take these lessons forward.”