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Increased radicalization and extremism among US military and law enforcement is the primary concern [1]

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Date: 2025-01-04

New Orleans attack and Vegas explosion highlight extremist violence by active military and veterans

Rather than Islamist 'radicalization' — though it remains a serious issue — America’s primary, most immediate, and deadly dangerous risk is the still largely unchecked growing violent extremism and 'radicalization' in the military among active duty and vets.

Even as jihadist terror has reduced dramatically in the US, that from White Nationalists, ‘militias,’ and those so aligned has increased to at least about 2/3 of all incidents. And members of the US military and law enforcement represent a disproportionate degree of participation in far too many of these violent events.

There is no doubt that the majority of those in the Army, other branches of the American military and law enforcement are devoted to our Constitution and nation and are without extremist ideologies. But to ignore or, as does the GOP, simply deny that (mostly) white extremist radicalization exists and continues to expand in our military is a grave and deadly error.

Though terror incidents by those professing a ‘Left’ ideology have also risen, the large majority of terrorist attacks have been perpetrated by White Supremacists, violent ‘militias’ and those so allied. Recruitment and extremist radicalization in our military and law enforcement is largely focused on a hard Right and Christian Nationalist ideology.

With this, national and local law enforcement has long recognized the primacy of the threat posed to our nation by American born terrorists. At the same time, the GOP’s own extremist politics continues to provide it cover.

The Military, Police, and the Rise of Terrorism in the United States

White supremacists, extremist militia supporters, and other like-minded individuals were involved in two-thirds of the attacks and plots in 2020. Anarchists, anti-fascists, and other like-minded individuals perpetrated roughly 23 percent of the plots and attacks in 2020, a notable increase from recent years. And Salafi-jihadists were involved in a mere 5 percent—their lowest share of incidents since 2008.

While the issue seems more anecdotally evident in the US Army, anti-government and violent Christian Nationalism permeates through all branches. This also includes extremism in law enforcement and elected members of government. It is seen in the active recruitment of military, law enforcement, and elected government officials by violent Christian Nationalist and anti-government 'militia' groups

Armed and Underground: Inside the Turbulent, Secret World of an American Militia

This is of major importance not only with regards to domestic white terrorism, but as a significant national security issue as well. And even the limited efforts which have been taken to identify and root out radicalization and extremism among the ranks of the military will come to a grinding halt if the white nationalist and defender of the Crusades, Pete Hegseth, is approved for Secretary of Defense.

Pete Hegseth’s Crusade to Turn the Military into a Christian Weapon

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