The year 2025 started with unspeakable acts of terrorism in New Orleans and Las Vegas, claiming 14 lives and injuring dozens more. These attacks, carried out by a veteran and an active-duty serviceman, highlight the urgent need to confront extremism within our armed forces and among veterans.
GPAHE has long sounded the alarm about this threat, emphasizing the dangers to public safety and our troops posed by radicalized individuals with military training.
GPAHE has worked extensively to address these concerns with Congress and the Department of Defense, explaining the threat of military extremism in testimony and making simple recommendations that could have a significant impact in protecting our nation and our service members from the dangers of violent extremism.
This week, GPAHE co-founders Wendy Via and Heidi Beirich spoke to multiple news outlets, underscoring the growing danger of military extremism, particularly as the Pentagon’s anti-extremism efforts face potential rollback in 2025 and how these violent acts underscores the urgent need for action.
As Heidi Beirich stated, “The military hasn’t addressed the issue of extremists, whether white supremacists or Islamic extremists. It’s crucial that those with extremist potential aren’t trained in military tactics.” The threat is clear, as seen in cases like Shamsud-Din Jabbar and Matthew Alan Livelsberger, whose military backgrounds highlight the need for urgent action.
Wendy Via also pointed out the dangers of the 2024 NDAA, stating, “The 2024 NDAA undermines efforts to address extremism in the military by defunding the Countering Extremism Working Group and halting key recommendations. If Pete Hegseth becomes Secretary of Defense, we can expect a rollback of counter-extremism measures and a rise in hate incidents, creating national security concerns and a hostile environment for our service members.” This threat is further compounded by the fact that Hegseth’s rhetoric dismisses these efforts as unnecessary and divisive.
GPAHE continues to collaborate with allies and policymakers to address this critical issue, including a statement warning the House Homeland Security Committee about the growing recruitment of veterans by extremist groups and the inadequate response from the military and Department of Veterans Affairs’. Our recent work highlights how both past and current administrations have failed to act on protecting veterans from extremist recruitment, particularly from groups involved in the January 6 insurrection, and how Trump’s cabinet nominees will only worsen the situation.
GPAHE remains steadfast in advocating for stronger safeguards to protect service members and veterans from extremist ideologies. This is essential to protect national security, the safety of our fellow citizens, and our troops.
