Stewart Rhodes Relaunched the Oath Keepers. Even Old Oath Keepers Don’t Care

Stewart Rhodes announced last week, he revived the Oath Keepers, his anti-government militia that all but disappeared after dozens of its members, including Rhodes, were arrested for their role in the Jan. 6 attack on the Capitol.

Rhodes, speaking to the Gateway Pundit this week, said he sees the revived group as playing a role in combating what he called a “left-wing insurrection” on the streets of America’s cities. “Currently, under federal law, President Trump can call us into militia if he deems it necessary, including for three purposes: repelling invasions, suppressing insurrections, and executing the laws of the union,” Rhodes said.

But since Rhodes announced his return, experts, former members and online discussions suggest there is little to no interest in rebooting what was, at one point, one of America’s largest militias with a leaked database listing 38,000 supposed members in 2021. That hasn’t stopped Rhodes from asking potential new members and supporters to send money to support the cause.

But even the former Oath Keepers aren’t interested. Janet Arroyo, who led a chapter of the Oath Keepers in Chino Valley, Arizona, with her husband Jim Arroyo before the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the Capitol, says they haven’t heard from Rhodes in six years and had no plans to join his group.

“He didn’t reach out while he was incarcerated, or since he was released,” Arroyo says. “No hard feelings, but we do what we do and don’t spend a lot of time wondering what he’s doing. DC’s stupid stunt has scared a lot of great patriots into hiding. My guess is he won’t succeed.”

Another former Oath Keeper, Jessica Watkins, an Army veteran who was sentenced to eight and a half years in prison for her role in the Capitol attack, says she hadn’t even heard of the revival when WIRED contacted her this week. “I haven’t heard of a revival, but most of the J6ers I know are trying to rebuild their lives,” said Watkins, who added that even if she wanted to rejoin the group, she would not be able to do so because her sentence had been commuted rather than pardoned. “Criminals are not allowed to be part of or work with the Oath Keepers.”

Kelly Meggs, who led the Florida chapter of the Oath Keepers and was convicted of seditious conspiracy for his participation in the Capitol attack, said he will not join the revived Oath Keepers because he fears he will be targeted again when Democrats return to power. “I’m more worried about the future,” Meggs says. “I think in four or five years, in eight years, in 12 years, whenever, anyone who is a member of these organizations will risk what I experienced.”