Biden brings attention to effort to combat domestic terrorism

President Biden announced Tuesday the country’s first-ever National Strategy for Countering Domestic Terrorism, which in the wake of the Jan. 6 U.S. Capitol insurrection would seem to be in order.

The pillars of the strategy seem rather pro forma – understanding and sharing domestic terrorism-related information, preventing domestic terrorism recruitment and mobilization to violence, disrupting and deterring domestic terrorism activity, and confronting long-term contributors to domestic terrorism.

Milquetoast, indeed, but then, since the previous administration was actually fomenting domestic terrorism, this is still a step forward.

“I have been sounding the alarm on the rise in white supremacist violence and domestic terrorism for years and it is so refreshing to now have a partner in the White House who recognizes the gravity of this threat and is committed to combating it,” Virginia Attorney General Mark Herring said. “Sadly, Virginia is all too familiar with white supremacist violence and the devastating effects it can have on communities, which is why I have made combating it a top priority. We cannot continue to turn a blind eye to the threat of domestic terrorism in the United States and having the support of the federal government will be instrumental in successfully stopping it.

“I applaud the Biden-Harris Administration’s commitment to addressing the serious threat of domestic terrorism in this country by taking these proactive steps to combat it,” Herring said.

“President Biden’s National Strategy for Countering Domestic Terrorism is a strong and comprehensive approach to countering a major threat to Americans’ safety and security,” Eighth District Congressman Don Beyer said. “This strategy is something we needed for years, but as documents and former officials have made clear, Donald Trump and his henchmen prevented efforts to step up the national fight against white supremacist violence for political reasons.

“Trump’s actions put American lives at risk, and we need look no further than his response to Charlottesville or the presence of prominent white nationalists among his closest advisers to understand why. I am very encouraged to see President Biden and his team make a smart response to domestic terrorism a high priority, and look forward to working with my colleagues to support their efforts,” Beyer said.

Story by Chris Graham