Key Takeaways:
– President-elect Trump’s “border czar,” Tom Homan, urges for increased attention to potential extremism within the US military and other agencies.
– The need for scrutiny comes after New Year’s Day attacks in New Orleans and Las Vegas involving former and active military personnel.
– Homan underscores the need to immediately address the insider threat for national safety.
– He encourages insider threat analysis that has not been prioritized by the current administration.
Homan’s Proposal for Deeper Investigation into Insider Threats
Safety and security are of critical importance to the incoming administration. Tom Homan, appointed as the “border czar” by President-elect Trump, spoke quite emphatically about the need to investigate potential extremism within the U.S. military, federal agencies, and civil service. This advice followed the horrific attacks in New Orleans and Las Vegas observed on New Year’s Day.
“Internal threats are important, especially within our industry with infrastructure responsibilities,” Homan explained. He spoke on the urgency to dive deeper into the issue, especially given that the two individuals who carried out the recent terrorist acts were linked to the military.
The New Orleans and Las Vegas Attacks: The Need for Action
Shamsud-Din Jabbar, the culprit of the atrocious crime in New Orleans, was a former Army officer. He plowed his Ford pickup truck into a crowd of people, causing the death of 14 individuals and leaving many injured. Subsequent investigation revealed disturbing elements such as an Islamic State (ISIS) flag in his vehicle and social media posts supporting the U.S.-designated terrorist group.
In a separate incident, a Tesla Cybertruck exploded outside the Trump International Hotel in Las Vegas. The blast resulted in one fatality and seven injuries, which authorities believe were intentional. The perpetrator, identified as Matthew Alan Livelsberger, was an active-duty member of the U.S. Army. He took his own life before initiating the disastrous chaos. The vehicle contained camping fuel canisters and fireworks mortars.
A Remarkable Coincidence or an Underlying Threat?
While both suspects had rented their vehicles from the car-sharing app Turo, the authorities concluded that the incidents were not related. The FBI declared that Jabbar was a lone wolf, having acted alone in his pursuit.
However, these attacks shed light on a possibly grim undercurrent within the military ranks. It brings forth the concern about the potentially disturbing number of unstable and radical active-duty service members and veterans.
Homan, a former director of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), calls for immediate attention to this latent threat. He expressed the need to uncover such possible dangers lurking within government service, the military, and even United States civil service.
Efforts on National Security and Anti-Extremism
Homan stressed the gravity of the issue, “We’ve got to address the insider threat. We have to. We can’t let this go on any further.” It stands as a call-to-action for the incoming administration to focus their efforts combating extremism for the safety and security of the United States.
Notably, this is not the first incident of military extremism by service members, raising questions about the effectiveness of assistance provided to them. As such, Homan’s call for an earnest investigation into the insider threat serves as a significant point of national security to be addressed promptly. The hope is that immediate and appropriate action can help forestall similar incidents in the future and ensure the safety of the public.