With one week to go before Trump’s inauguration, Vance has walked back Trump’s promise to pardon January 6 rioters. This action echoes the pattern set by Trump during his campaign, where promises made during the election trail often became mere promises in the wind. In an interview, Vance stated that peaceful protesters should be pardoned, but those who committed violence should not, suggesting a ‘gray area’ that seems to imply more political deals. Trump has shattered many norms, yet he is far from the first American president to make grand promises on the campaign trail and then find reasons not to keep them once in office. It remains to be seen how Trump’s supporters will react to Vance’s comments.