The Washington Post reported on 2/6 that Elias Irizarry was recently hired by the US Department of Defense's Office of Special Operations and Low-Intensity Conflict, which oversees classified military operations. The Pentagon's decision to hire Irizarry has raised concerns among some agency staff because he participated in the Capitol riot on 6/1/2021.

At the time of the riot, Irizarry was a 19-year-old cadet at the Citadel military academy in Charleston, South Carolina. He traveled to Washington to attend a rally for Donald Trump at the Ellipse.

After hearing Trump's speech, in which he falsely claimed Joe Biden had stolen the election and urged the crowd to march to Capitol Hill, Irizarry and two friends joined the procession. They breached police barriers and entered the Capitol building.

Images released by US media showed Irizarry inside the Capitol, wearing a "make America great again" hat and holding a metal stick, though he did not assault anyone. However, Grayson Sherrill, one of Irizarry's friends, used a stick to strike a police officer. Sherrill was sentenced to 7 months in prison in 2023 after pleading guilty to assaulting a federal officer.

Elias Irizarry at the Capitol in Washington on 6/1/2021. Photo: Guardian

Irizarry was sentenced to 14 days in prison for unlawful entry into the Capitol. In court, he expressed remorse and apologized for his actions, but Judge Tanya Chutkan criticized Irizarry for not intervening to prevent violence, despite having the opportunity.

Judge Chutkan noted that Irizarry's record before the riot was "very commendable." She offered to write a letter to assist Irizarry in reapplying to the academy after he was expelled due to his involvement in the riot.

Irizarry was readmitted to the Citadel military academy and graduated in 2024. He later ran for the South Carolina state legislature but was unsuccessful.

Elias Irizarry (third from left), wearing a dark red hoodie, holding a stick, and a red hat, inside the Capitol on 6/1/2021. Photo: AFP

It remains unclear who signed the decision to recruit Irizarry into the unconventional warfare and counter-terrorism division of the Office of Special Operations and Low-Intensity Conflict. This 40-person division is responsible for missions such as embassy protection, personnel rescue, and hostage recovery.

"When conducting rescue or extraction missions, our operatives may face complex and dangerous operational environments. Placing someone so young, new to the Department of Defense, and with such a record in this sensitive position raises serious questions for leadership," an anonymous Pentagon official stated.

Irizarry did not respond to requests for comment. Joel Valdez, acting press secretary for the Pentagon, confirmed the information on 2/6 and defended the hiring decision.

"Elias Irizarry is a young, capable, and patriotic professional. We are proud to welcome him as a special recruit to the Department of Defense," Valdez stated.

Hong Hanh (Based on reports from Guardian, Washington Post)