WP: Former January 6 rioter hired for sensitive Pentagon role

Elias Irizarry, a former participant in the Jan. 6 Capitol riot who later expressed regret over his involvement, has been hired by the Trump administration for a position within a Pentagon office responsible for highly sensitive military operations, The Washington Post reports, citing four individuals familiar with the matter.

The appointment of Irizarry, who was 19 at the time of the 2021 attack, to the Defence Department’s Special Operations and Low Intensity Conflict office has reportedly sparked internal concern among staff.

Some question how an individual convicted in connection with the Capitol breach could be entrusted with a role involving highly sensitive national security responsibilities, the sources said, speaking anonymously due to fear of retaliation.

Irizarry is assigned to the office’s irregular warfare and counterterrorism division, which consists of roughly 40 personnel and handles missions such as embassy security, personnel recovery, and hostage rescue operations.

Two sources described the unit’s work as among the most sensitive conducted by the Pentagon, noting that all positions require top-secret clearance.

One source said the appointment raises concerns about judgment and suitability given the nature of the portfolio.

The storming of the US Capitol was a protest outside the Capitol building that escalated into an armed confrontation. The incident took place on January 6, 2021, amid opposition to the results of the 2020 US presidential election, in which the 45th President of the United States, Donald Trump, was defeated.

By Bakhtiyar Abbasov