Overview of Domestic Threat Environment

During the Senate Select Committee's annual worldwide threat assessment hearing, Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard stated that foreign Islamist terrorist groups are shifting tactics. According to Gabbard, there are fewer indicators of large-scale, organized attacks.

Efforts are now focused on individuals radicalized by Islamist propaganda, some with no direct contact with groups such as ISIS or al-Qaida, and others who have had such contact.

This prompted questions regarding whether U.S. involvement in the Iran conflict has increased the potential threat from these entities within the U.S.

Research from the Institute for Strategic Dialogue (ISD) indicates there were seven ISIS-inspired plots and attacks in the U.S. in 2025, a number similar to the previous year. Matthew Ivanovich, senior research manager at ISD, noted a recent uptick in these incidents following a period between 2019 and 2023.

Ivanovich stated that ISIS has reconstituted under a decentralized model in parts of Africa and Syria, now urging self-radicalized individuals to conduct attacks locally rather than recruiting fighters to travel overseas. He also observed an increase in ISIS-aligned propaganda on mainstream social media platforms, including Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok.

Recent Domestic Incidents

Several violent incidents on American soil are under FBI investigation as potential acts of terrorism or targeted violence:

• An attempted attack on anti-Muslim protesters outside the New York City mayor's mansion. The two men charged with attempting to detonate improvised explosives are reported by the ISD to fit the profile of those answering the call from ISIS. Six of the seven ISIS-inspired incidents in 2025 involved teenagers.
• An attack that resulted in one student's death at Old Dominion University in Norfolk, Virginia.
• An incident at a synagogue in a Detroit suburb, labeled an act of targeted violence.

Michigan Synagogue Attack

Investigators have not specified the motivation behind an attack in West Bloomfield, Michigan. A naturalized Lebanese-American citizen, Ayman Mohamad Ghazali, fired a weapon and crashed a vehicle into a synagogue. Ghazali died by suicide at the scene.

He had recently lost family members, including two brothers and a niece and nephew, in an Israeli air strike in his hometown of Mashghara, Lebanon. One of Ghazali's brothers was identified by the Israel Defense Forces as a Hezbollah commander. Hezbollah is a U.S.-designated terrorist organization backed by Iran.

San Diego Mosque Attack

Evidence from a recent attack on a mosque in California has drawn attention to the role of misogynistic ideology within far-right extremism. A 75-page document attributed to the teenage suspects and a livestreamed video of the attack demonstrate grounding in neo-Nazi thinking, and experts state that the document also expresses hostility towards women.

Heidi Beirich, co-founder of the Global Project Against Hate and Extremism, stated that the document explicitly states hatred of women, characterizing them as responsible for societal destruction.

Alex DiBranco, executive director of the Institute for Research on Male Supremacism, stated that the attack at the Islamic Center of San Diego is interrelated with Islamophobia, antisemitism, and misogyny. The suspects' writings used dehumanizing language found in the "incel" (involuntary celibate) community.

Matthew Kriner, executive director of the Institute for Countering Digital Extremism, stated that the suspects filmed their activities following the "cultural script" of previous accelerationist attackers, specifically referencing the 2019 Christchurch, New Zealand mosque attack. The Christchurch attack has inspired multiple attacks in the U.S., including in El Paso, Texas; Buffalo, New York; Colorado Springs, Colorado; and Jacksonville, Florida.

Omission from US Counterterrorism Strategy

Experts expressed concern that the 2025 US Counterterrorism Strategy document does not mention far-right, neo-Nazi, or white supremacist threats. The document highlights narcoterrorists, Islamist terrorists, and violent left-wing extremists.

Colin Clarke, executive director of the Soufan Center, called the document "unserious" and stated it misdirects resources. Michael Duffin, a former State Department counterterrorism official, said the primary threats to public events are white supremacists and individuals inspired by ISIS.

Nonprofit Security Grant Program (NSGP)

Current Status and Funding

The Nonprofit Security Grant Program (NSGP), administered by FEMA under DHS, provides grants to nonprofits for security enhancements. In FY2024, approximately 4,000 out of 12,000 applications were funded, representing about 33% of applicants. Funding for FY2025 is $274.5 million.

Proposed Legislation

A bill introduced proposes increasing NSGP funding to $1 billion, expediting reimbursements, and removing restrictions on hiring security personnel as direct employees.

Advocacy and Concerns

• Eric Fingerhut, president and CEO of the Jewish Federations of North America, argued that security personnel should be allowed as direct employees under the program. He stated that the source of violence—whether from homegrown extremism, foreign groups, or personal hardship—has the same impact on the Jewish community, necessitating significant security expenditures.
• Fadi Hammami of the Islamic Association of Greater Hartford noted that the reimbursement structure is a barrier for smaller organizations.
• Shane Dennis of the Jewish Federation of Greater Ann Arbor described the administrative process as "cumbersome."
• Jerry Sorokin of Beth Israel Congregation in Ann Arbor reported that his 2024 application was rejected, leading to delays in security upgrades.
• Rep. Josh Gottheimer (D-N.J.) expressed concern that some houses of worship fear applying due to potential immigration enforcement conditions.
• The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) requested a briefing with DHS to ensure equal access for Muslim organizations. FEMA stated that DHS has not blocked funds to Muslim groups.

Calls for Security and Prevention

Michael Masters, national director and CEO of the Secure Community Network, reported a 95% increase in violent posts directed towards the Jewish community on social media since the Iran conflict began, from an average of around 3,000 weekly posts. He and other experts suggest that the U.S.-Israeli offensive against Iran has provided a narrative exploited by foreign terrorist entities.

Experts also call for more investment in prevention. William Braniff, executive director of the Polarization and Extremism Research and Innovation Lab (PERIL), highlighted content moderation loss as a significant concern across ideological spectrums.

Braniff, who previously led the Center for Prevention Programs and Partnerships at the Department of Homeland Security, stated that prevention efforts were gaining traction before a reduction in staffing and resources under the Trump administration. This work is now largely managed at the state level.