The biggest terrorist threat is White supremacy. The information was revealed in a recent report compiled by the Department of Homeland Security, according to the Associated Press.
The report breaks down threats which include cyber, foreign influence, and irregular migration. In the report, the DHS states, “We judge that ideologically-motivated lone offenders and small groups will pose the greatest terrorist threat to the Homeland through 2021, with White supremacist extremists presenting the most lethal threat…Domestic Violent Extremists presenting the most persistent and lethal threat.”
2019 was the most violent year for domestic terrorism since 1995 when the Oklahoma City Bombing occurred. Last year, 39 people died at the hands of White supremacists and eight people were critically injured in a lethal attack.
White supremacists may feel emboldened by the current U.S. president who has often used racially-charged language. Following the election of the current president in 2016, hate crimes increased by 17 percent versus an increase of five percent during the Obama Administration, according to the House Judiciary Committee.
However, according to Politico, two former White House staff members revealed that the current administration shied away from labeling White supremacists attacks as domestic terrorism.
With the 2020 election in November, the discussions surrounding race and crime will remain at the forefront.
