ARGUMENT: Countering domestic terroristsA Sea Change in Counterterrorism

Even before the attempted insurrection at the Capitol on 6 January, the threat of domestic extremism was clear, with terrorist attacks by racially and ethnically motivated violent extremists (RMVEs) eclipsing the threat posed by jihadist groups such as the Islamic State. The Biden administration will soon release a new strategy document for fighting domestic terrorism.

Carly Gordenstein and Seamus Hughes write in Lawfarethat whilethe speculation surrounding the potential congressional commission to investigate the 6 January Capitol siege makes for attention-grabbing headlines, behind-the-scenes work is being done to update and expand the national security apparatus in order to better address the threat of domestic terrorism.

They write:

According to senior officials, the Biden administration is on the cusp of releasing a first-of-its-kind strategy to counter domestic terrorism in the United States. The document is the result of the White House’s more than 140-day review of previous counterterrorism efforts. It will, in many ways, simply codify significant and lasting policy changes to countering domestic terrorism that have already occurred in the past five months.

The question of both the size and the scope of the domestic extremism threat has faced a whirlwind of politicization for more than a decade. Consequently, it has not been met with a formidable, comprehensive strategy to counter it until now. The Biden administration’s efforts represent a sea change in the way the U.S. government handles domestic extremism. Since Jan. 6, the federal government has been updating threat assessments, restructuring offices and increasing resources to combat domestic violent extremism. For the first time in two decades, domestic terrorism, and not jihadism, is at the forefront of counterterrorism policymakers’ minds.

While awaiting the findings of the White House review, the Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI) released a first-of-its-kind assessment in early March on the heightened threat of domestic terrorism. The research concluded that racially motivated violent extremists (RMVEs) and militia violent extremists (MVEs) are the most likely to carry out lethal attacks as lone actors or small cells

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Following the ODNI analysis, the FBI and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) put out a joint report in May containing a strategic intelligence assessment and data on domestic terrorism. 

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Gordenstein and Hughes conclude:

Collectively, these new policies make clear that the Biden administration has taken dramatic steps to change both the scope and the direction of American counterterrorism efforts. A strategy document is a significant step and an important marker, but it comes after months of a full-speed sprint. It is clear that structural changes are underway that aim to root out extremism in and out of government, attempt to concentrate efforts more efficiently, and invest in the issue of domestic extremism at a rate that is unprecedented in the United States.