A convicted man who took part in the storming of the Capitol in Washington on January 6, 2021 was later pardoned by US President Donald Trump. Now he has a sensitive job in the Pentagon.
June 5, 2026, 11:18 amJune 5, 2026, 11:18 am
Elias Irizarry was convicted, among other things, because the then 19-year-old climbed into the Capitol through a broken window. He allowed himself to be filmed armed with a metal rod in a private conference room. Two years later he apologized for his actions. When US President Donald Trump began his second term in office, he pardoned the Capitol stormers, including Irizarry.
In this photo, Irizarry was identified climbing through the window with a metal bar (right).Image: Committee on House Administration Subcommittee on Oversight
Now it turns out that Irizarry has a job at the Pentagon. He works in a sensitive department, reports the Washington Post. Accordingly, the department works with the elite military unit and deals with extremely sensitive national security issues, says a former Pentagon employee New York Times. For example, she is responsible for embassy security or hostage rescue.
It was initially unclear who hired him. Pentagon press secretary Joel Valdez said in a statement that Irizarry is a “skilled, patriotic, young professional” and “we are proud to have him as a political appointee.”
That makes you sit up and take notice. Because such political officials are usually selected by the Defense Department or sometimes by the White House, reports the New York Times. In the past, any possible negative perceptions would have prevented such a job, the insider reports. “Today, following appears to be valued more highly than expertise, sound judgment and a strong moral compass.”
The ex-employee is convinced that this weakens trust in the Pentagon. Even if Irizarry may have been reformed and, as his lawyer had claimed in his defense, it was indeed a case of youthful arrogance, not all former Capitol stormers have learned from the convictions. According to the New York Times At least 97 of the 1,600 people convicted at the time have committed crimes again in recent years. (front)