Far-right Oath Keepers leader Stewart Rhodes attends Trump Rally in Las Vegas after release from prison

Standing behind the president donald trump during his meeting at the Circa Resort and Casino in Las Vegas on Saturday was the recently engaged Stewart Rhodesthe right-wing militia founder who was sentenced to 18 years in prison on seditious conspiracy convictions stemming from his role in the Jan. 6 attack on the Capitol.

Rhodes, who leads the oath keepers, was among other Trump supporters Standing near the president on Saturday. He is one of 14 people whose sentences were commuted this week, all of whom are members of the extreme right Pledge games or groups of proud children. Enrique TarrioThe proud children’s leader who prosecutors say helped prepare his followers for street fights was the only person to receive a longer sentence than Rhodes, at 22 years old. He’s also out of prison now. The couple joins more than 1,500 people who were charged in the January 6 attack and pardoned by Trump in day one of his presidencyincluding Those who committed violent crimes, such as assaults on the police.

Stewart Rhodes (Eye Patch), Ryan Bundy (green shirt) and Cliven Bundy (gray vest), react after US President Donald Trump spoke at a rally at Circa Resort & Casino on January 25, 2025 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Ian Maule/Getty Images)

Ian Maule/Getty Images

During Rhodes’ trial, federal prosecutors played a recording of a meeting between him and his militia on January 10, 2021, just days after the attack. “My only regret is that they should have brought rifles,” Rhodes says in the recording, which was obtained by the FBI, according to CBS News. “We should have brought rifles. We could have fixed it right then and there. I would (fucking) hang Pelosi from the lamppost.”

After being released from prison on Tuesday, Rhodes donned a Trump 2020 hat and grateful The president, saying he felt “relief,” “joy” and “gratitude” when he heard the news, but that he “knew it was coming.” When asked how he thinks history should remember January 6, Rhodes responded: “Patriots Day.”

“That we defended our country, because we knew the elections were stolen,” he said, before repeating baseless claims that the former president Joe Biden lost four years ago.

According to federal prosecutors, Rhodes was one of the Principal architects of the attack—Protecting with other conspirators to prevent Congress from certifying the results of the presidential election, stockpiling weapons outside Washington, DC, and marching in militant formations on the Capitol. After his release, he returned to those same reasons, except this time, he “met with at least one lawmaker during his visit and spoke with others, defending his actions that day and failing to take responsibility for the violent siege that halted the 2020 certification.” Election”, by information from the Associated Press.

“I didn’t bring anything. So why should I feel responsible for that? Rhodes said.

Friday morning Amit P. Mehta, The judge who oversaw Rhodes’ case issued a order Saying the founder of the oath and other members of the militia, they could no longer enter Washington, DC without the judge’s permission. It is unclear whether his order against Rhodes will stand, as Trump’s new US lawyer Ed Martin has court documents already filed seeking to reverse Mehta’s decision.