Army reservist with ‘Hitler mustache’ demoted, discharged after Jan. 6 charges: report

Army Reservist Timothy Hale-Cusanelli, who was known among colleagues for sporting a “Hitler mustache,” was demoted and discharged after he was charged in connection with the Jan. 6 Capitol riot, The Washington Post reported on Wednesday.

“This was a knee-jerk reaction to the charges,” Jonathan Crisp, Hale-Cusanelli’s attorney, told the Post. Hale-Cusanelli is the first known discharge from the military due to charges in connection with the assault, according to the newspaper. 

Crisp called the less-than-honorable discharge in June “improper,” citing his client’s inability to defend himself due to his incarceration and inability to make comments without violating his Fifth Amendment rights in the Capitol case.

Crisp said he will fight to have Hale-Cusanelli reinstated as Army officials normally wait until a criminal case is finished before discharging a person, according to the Post. 

“The Army Reserve remains committed to holding personnel accountable for conduct that does not align with the Army Values, and to ensuring all personnel are treated with dignity and respect. Extremist ideologies and activities directly oppose our values and beliefs and those who subscribe to extremism have no place in our ranks,” a spokesperson for the Army Reserve said in a statement.

“Due to protections under the Privacy Act 5 (U.S.C. § 552a), we are unable to provide additional information,” they added.

Prosecutors said during Hale-Cusanelli’s case that he was a widely known white supremacist who regularly made antisemitic remarks at naval facility in New Jersey.

“A Navy Petty Officer stated that Defendant talked constantly about Jewish people and remembered Defendant saying ‘Hitler should have finished the job,’” prosecutors said in the filing. 

He has pleaded not guilty to illegally entering the Capitol and harassing police officers during the Jan. 6 attack. 

The Hill has reached out to Crisp for comment. 

–Updated at 11:11 a.m.