In what critics have labeled a severe lapse in judgment, President Biden directed efforts toward investigating perceived domestic political threats, often focusing on those questioning his administration’s policies.
How did a jihadist openly flying an ISIS flag on his pickup truck evade detection in the U.S. long enough to commit a New Year’s Day terror attack in New Orleans, killing at least 15 and injuring many others?
The FBI has identified Shamsud-Din Jabbar, a 42-year-old U.S. citizen from Texas, as the suspect in the attack and suggests he likely had accomplices. Authorities are still pursuing others potentially involved.
Jabbar did not align with the type of threat President Biden prioritized. Instead, Biden, the Department of Justice (DOJ), and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) concentrated on targeting “domestic violent extremism,” specifically white supremacists and militia groups.
In June 2021, the National Security Council introduced a strategy to combat domestic terrorism, identifying white supremacists and militia violent extremists as “the most persistent and lethal threats.” FBI Director Christopher Wray echoed this sentiment, testifying that participants in the January 6 Capitol events included “racially motivated violent extremists” promoting white supremacy.
Meanwhile, critics argue that the administration’s focus on domestic threats allowed foreign terrorist ideologies, such as ISIS, to remain unchecked. A 2019 State Department report under President Trump highlighted the continued danger posed by ISIS, yet Biden’s administration redirected federal resources toward addressing domestic concerns.
During a September 1, 2022 speech, President Biden repeatedly criticized “MAGA Republicans,” accusing them of representing “an extremism that threatens the very foundations of our republic.” His administration’s focus on this rhetoric coincided with ongoing border security concerns, as unvetted individuals from various regions entered the U.S.
Jabbar, a U.S. citizen, carried out his attack under an ISIS flag—an alarming indicator of the infiltration of dangerous foreign ideologies. Critics argue that had the FBI allocated its resources differently, it might have uncovered connections and thwarted such attacks.
The tragedy serves as a grim reminder that while domestic issues are significant, the persistent threat of global terrorism cannot be underestimated.
