Pentagon hires convicted January 6 rioter for national security role
Consensus Summary
The Pentagon has appointed Elias Irizarry, a convicted participant in the January 6, 2021 Capitol riot, to a sensitive national security role despite his past involvement in the attack. Irizarry, who pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor charge and was sentenced to 14 days in jail, now works in either the special operations and low intensity conflict office (per the Guardian) or the undersecretary of defence for policy (per ABC), where he will handle matters related to military strategy and counterterrorism. Both sources confirm he expressed remorse in court, graduated from the Citadel in 2024, and previously ran unsuccessfully for a South Carolina state legislative seat. The appointment has drawn criticism from Pentagon officials and lawmakers, including Senator Mark Warner, who questioned the decision to place a January 6 rioter in such a role. The Washington Post first reported the story, including a photo of Irizarry at the riot wearing a MAGA hat. While the Guardian highlights concerns about his inexperience and background, ABC notes that Irizarry was part of a broader trend of hiring January 6 participants into government roles under the Trump administration, including Jared Wise, who worked at the Justice Department before resigning.
✓ Verified by 2+ sources
Key details reported by multiple sources:
- Elias Irizarry was appointed to a role in the US Department of Defense’s special operations and low intensity conflict office (or undersecretary of defence for policy, per ABC) dealing with sensitive national security matters.
- Elias Irizarry pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor charge (entering/remaining in a restricted building) related to the January 6, 2021 Capitol riot.
- Irizarry was sentenced to 14 days in jail in March 2023 by US District Judge Tanya Chutkan.
- Irizarry was 19 years old during the January 6 riot and a student at the Citadel military academy in Charleston, South Carolina.
- The Washington Post first reported Irizarry’s appointment, including a photo of him at the Capitol riot wearing a MAGA hat and holding a metal pole.
- Five people died during or immediately after the January 6 riot, and four police officers involved in resisting the attack died by suicide in the following months.
- Joel Valdez, the Pentagon’s acting press secretary, confirmed and defended Irizarry’s appointment in a statement.
- Irizarry expressed remorse in court, stating he was ashamed and called January 6 'the largest attack on our democracy since the Civil War.'
- Irizarry was initially discharged from the Citadel but later readmitted and graduated in 2024.
- Irizarry ran unsuccessfully for a seat in the South Carolina state legislature in a 2024 Republican primary.
Points of Difference
Details reported by only one source:
- Irizarry’s position is attached to a counterterrorism and irregular warfare team of about 40 people, covering embassy security, personnel recovery, and hostage rescue.
- An anonymous Pentagon official stated concerns about placing 'someone so junior and new to DoD, and with such a checkered background' in a sensitive role.
- The Guardian reported that the story was first broken by the Washington Post, which published a photo of Irizarry at the riot.
- Four police officers involved in resisting the attack died by suicide in the months after January 6.
- The Pentagon’s special operations and low intensity conflict office manages highly classified military operations.
- Irizarry was assigned to the Pentagon's office of the undersecretary of defence for policy, which provides national security advice and support on military strategy.
- Senator Mark Warner (top Democrat on the Senate Intelligence Committee) criticized the appointment on social media.
- Irizarry was a Civil Air Patrol cadet when he joined the riot and climbed through a broken window, entered a conference room, and took photos before leaving.
- Prosecutors noted Irizarry was aware of the safety threat due to his training.
- Jared Wise, another January 6 rioter and former FBI agent, was hired at the Justice Department last year as an adviser to the pardon attorney before resigning in April 2026.
Contradictions
Conflicting information between sources:
- The Guardian states Irizarry was appointed to the 'special operations and low intensity conflict office,' while ABC says he was assigned to the 'office of the undersecretary of defence for policy.'
- The Guardian mentions Irizarry’s position is attached to a counterterrorism and irregular warfare team of about 40 people, while ABC does not specify the exact team size or role beyond policy advice.
Source Articles
Pentagon appoints convicted January 6 rioter to sensitive counter-terrorism role
Alarm after Elias Irizarry is hired to position in office that manages highly classified military operations The Pentagon has appointed a rioter convicted for his role in 6 January, 2021 insurrection to a sensitive national security role dealing with counterterrorism, overriding insiders’ concerns about his past record. Elias Irizarry, who pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor charge in connection with the storming of the US Capitol, has been appointed to a position in the US Department of Defense’s s
Pentagon hires convicted January 6 rioter for national security job
The Trump administration has given a man who was jailed for his actions during the January 6, 2021, US Capitol riot a job in the Pentagon's policy office.