Ben Bergquam met up with Stewart Rhodes, the leader of the Oath Keepers, just after his release from a DC prison. Rhodes had been serving an 18-year sentence for his involvement in the January 6th Capitol riot, a sentence he describes as politically motivated. His release came after being granted a presidential pardon from Donald Trump, a moment that Rhodes called “deliverance.”
Watch:
In their conversation, Rhodes reflected on his time behind bars, explaining, “I was in there for over three years,” but today felt like a new chapter in his life. For Rhodes, the 18-year sentence was part of what he sees as a broader, corrupt system. “It’s a corrupt system,” he said, adding that both prosecutors and judges were complicit in using lies and coercion to convict innocent people. “People are being coerced into plea bargains, lying when they know they’re innocent, just to testify against others. It’s a system that needs to be dismantled.”
Rhodes believes that accountability is key to moving forward, not just for January 6th defendants but for every American. He’s particularly focused on holding prosecutors accountable for what he calls their criminal actions, such as perjury. “It’s a crime to support perjury, and they do it all the time,” he said. “In our case, we caught two police officers lying on the stand.”
As for the future of the Oath Keepers, Rhodes remained uncertain but expressed concern about the infiltration of groups like his by informants. He explained, “Groups like ours, we were just trying to help. We did disaster relief, security operations—nothing violent—but we were targeted and infiltrated. Informants were sent in, paid by the government to spy on us.”
Rhodes also highlighted the need for reforms in law enforcement and intelligence agencies, pointing to figures like Kash Patel and others who advocate for protecting constitutionalists from unjust persecution. “The FBI and other agencies need to stop targeting people just for standing up for their rights,” he said. “That’s a huge problem.”
Rhodes didn’t forget to express his gratitude toward President Trump, whom he credited for making his release possible. “I want to thank President Trump for pardoning us. His action has given us a second chance to do what’s right for our country,” he said. Rhodes emphasized that the pardoned Oath Keepers were committed to making the most of this opportunity. “We’re committed to conducting ourselves honorably and doing what we can to help, not hurt. We have an obligation to do the right thing moving forward.”
In a final message to the American people, Rhodes expressed gratitude on behalf of fellow patriots. “On behalf of all the American patriots, I just want to say thank you,” he said, determined to carry out his mission with integrity.