FBI Shifts Resources Away From Domestic Terrorism Investigations

WASHINGTON, March 21 (Reuters) – The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) has significantly reduced staffing and resources dedicated to combating domestic terrorism, raising concerns about its ability to effectively counter threats from white supremacists and anti-government extremists. According to sources familiar with the matter, the FBI has cut staffing in an office focused on domestic terrorism and has discontinued a crucial tool used to track related investigations. These changes signal a potential shift in priorities under FBI Director Kash Patel, a vocal critic of the bureau’s focus on domestic terrorism in recent years.

Several sources within the FBI and related agencies have expressed concerns that these changes will weaken the FBI’s capacity to monitor and disrupt plots orchestrated by white supremacists and militia groups. This shift comes despite repeated warnings from U.S. officials and security experts who have consistently identified domestic violent extremists as one of the most pressing security threats facing the nation.

Jacob Ware, an expert on domestic terrorism at the Council on Foreign Relations, articulated these concerns, stating, "There is a broader desire I think within the administration to at best ignore data and put their head in the sand and at worst to realign resources away from this battle."

While the FBI declined to directly address specific questions about the reported changes, the bureau issued a statement affirming its commitment to protecting the U.S. from various threats, including terrorism, violent crime, drug trafficking, and cyberattacks. The statement emphasized that "All our work is focused on providing safer communities for our citizens every day."

However, multiple sources have indicated that FBI leadership has recently transferred agents and intelligence analysts from its Domestic Terrorism Operations Section. This section plays a vital role in supporting investigations conducted by the FBI’s 55 field offices across the country, providing critical information and expertise on domestic threats. According to five sources briefed on the moves, the reassignment of personnel from this section has been substantial.

Two sources familiar with the details of these changes reported that approximately 16 individuals have been reassigned from the Domestic Terrorism Operations Section. While this section, if fully staffed, could potentially employ hundreds of individuals, the reassignment of even a small number of personnel can significantly impact its operational capacity. A separate source disclosed that senior FBI officials have even discussed the possibility of disbanding the section entirely, although no final decision has been formally announced.

Adding to the concerns, the FBI has also reportedly discontinued its practice of tagging investigations with a connection to domestic terrorism. This tagging system served as a crucial tool for the bureau, enabling it to identify emerging trends, track relevant investigations across different field offices, and effectively allocate resources to address the evolving domestic terrorism landscape. The absence of this tagging system could hinder the FBI’s ability to detect patterns, connect seemingly disparate cases, and proactively address potential threats.

Furthermore, a memo obtained by Reuters revealed that the Trump administration has directed the FBI’s Joint Terrorism Task Forces, which are responsible for investigating both domestic and international terrorist threats, to provide assistance in President Donald Trump’s immigration crackdown. This directive raises concerns that resources and personnel are being diverted from counterterrorism efforts to support immigration enforcement, potentially diminishing the FBI’s capacity to address domestic terrorism threats.

While some former officials have argued that it is common for the FBI to reallocate resources based on evolving threats, the timing and nature of these changes have raised eyebrows among current and former law enforcement officials. FBI Director Kash Patel, a Trump appointee, has previously expressed his intention to streamline operations at the FBI’s Washington headquarters, but critics argue that these changes go beyond mere efficiency improvements and represent a deliberate effort to downplay the threat of domestic terrorism.

Notably, these changes coincide with the Trump administration’s decision to classify attacks on Tesla dealerships and charging stations as acts of domestic terrorism, a move that is almost certain to involve FBI investigators. This decision has been met with skepticism, with some critics arguing that it is an attempt to selectively label certain acts of violence as domestic terrorism while minimizing the threat posed by right-wing extremists. Protests have erupted in response to Tesla CEO Elon Musk’s collaboration with Trump on efforts to reduce the size of the federal government, leading to several incidents of vandalism and arson targeting Tesla properties.

Adding another layer of complexity, the changes at the FBI also follow Trump’s decision to pardon nearly all of the individuals charged with participating in the January 6, 2021 attack on the Capitol. The leaders of far-right groups such as the Proud Boys and Oath Keepers were among those released from prison as part of Trump’s sweeping grant of clemency. Trump-appointed officials at the Justice Department have also indicated that they are reviewing the conduct of FBI agents involved in the investigation and prosecution of those involved in the January 6 attack, raising concerns about potential political interference in law enforcement matters.

The FBI’s increased focus on domestic terrorism in recent years was largely prompted by the killing of a counterprotester at a 2017 white-nationalist rally in Charlottesville, Virginia. The January 6, 2021 attack on the Capitol further intensified these efforts, leading to a surge in domestic terrorism investigations.

According to an FBI report published in 2023, the bureau had approximately 2,700 active domestic terrorism investigations, with roughly half of them related to the Capitol riot. This figure represents a significant increase from the approximately 1,000 domestic terrorism investigations active in 2020. The report also identified white supremacists as posing the most consistent and significant domestic terrorism threat, although FBI officials have cautioned that violent extremists are often motivated by a complex mix of ideologies.

The FBI’s previous efforts to combat domestic terrorism have faced criticism from Republican lawmakers and Trump allies like Patel, who have accused the bureau of improperly targeting conservatives as part of a broader political agenda. In 2023, three former FBI agents testified before Congress, alleging that FBI officials had pressured agents to inflate the number of cases tagged as domestic terrorism. A Republican-led panel alleged that the tagging of cases was used to advance a political narrative favorable to Democrats, a claim that a senior FBI official vehemently denied.

A spokesperson for Ohio Representative Jim Jordan, a staunch Trump ally who led the panel, praised the removal of tagging for domestic terrorism cases as "a great step in the right direction of returning the FBI to its primary crime fighting mission." It is worth noting that two of the FBI witnesses who testified before Congress received financial support from a group founded by Patel.

These developments raise serious questions about the future of the FBI’s efforts to combat domestic terrorism and the potential implications for national security. Critics argue that the shift in resources and priorities could leave the U.S. more vulnerable to attacks from white supremacists and other domestic extremists. The debate over the FBI’s role in addressing domestic terrorism is likely to continue, particularly as the political landscape remains deeply divided.

(Reporting by Andrew Goudsward and Sarah N. Lynch; Editing by Andy Sullivan and Alistair Bell)