US Air Force Grants Military Funeral Honors to Jan 6 Rioter Ashli Babbitt

The U.S. Air Force has reversed a Biden-era decision and will provide full military funeral honors to Ashli Babbitt, an Air Force veteran who was fatally shot during the January 6, 2021 Capitol riot while attempting to breach a barricaded door near the House chamber. Under Secretary of the Air Force Matthew Lohmeier informed Babbitt's family that after reviewing new information, the previous denial of honors was incorrect, a shift welcomed by supporters of Babbitt and President Trump. This decision follows a nearly $5 million wrongful death settlement paid to Babbitt's family by the government and comes amid the Trump administration's broader efforts to rehabilitate the image of the January 6 rioters, including pardoning over 1,500 defendants and replacing key prosecutors. Capitol Police Lt. Michael Byrd, who shot Babbitt, was cleared of wrongdoing after investigations, having stated he acted in defense of lawmakers and staff as Babbitt ignored multiple commands to stand down. While the circumstances of Babbitt's death remain unchanged, the new honors mark a significant political and symbolic move under President Trump’s administration, which has characterized the rioters as "patriots."