Washington, D.C. – The pro-Trump attack on the U.S. Capitol should not be dismissed as an isolated event by a group of rioters. A new column from the Center for American Progress argues that America could be in the early days of a violent political movement that will endure long after President Donald Trump leaves office.
Left unaddressed, this movement could become a full-fledged insurgency that poses a significant and enduring threat to Americans, the column says. It urges U.S. leaders to take immediate action to address this threat and leverage the full power of the government to counter this violent movement.
“Trump and his allies have incited an insurrection movement that may outlast his administration,” said Katrina Mulligan, managing director for National Security and International Policy at CAP. “We need an immediate, unwavering bipartisan response to this crisis before it turns into a more dangerous insurgency fueling even more violent acts.
Throughout 2020, pro-Trump extremists engaged in activities that are characteristic of the pre-insurgency stage—recruiting, training, organizing, and arming. Trump encouraged them to do so, used highly militarized language on the “Army for Trump” website to recruit supporters, calling on them to “enlist” and join the “frontlines” of the effort to support the president.
Once an insurgency has momentum, it is difficult to stop. History shows what America can expect if the recent insurrection becomes an open insurgency: kidnappings, bombings, and assassinations. The nation’s leaders and institutions must act quickly and together to overcome the threat before it becomes an enduring one.
Read the column: “The United States Could Be in the Early Days of a Domestic Insurgency” by Katrina Mulligan.
For more information or to talk to an expert, please contact Sam Hananel at [email protected] or 202-478-6327.