During his first term as president, Donald Trump saw the rise of a violent civil war in Syria, the resurgence of Islamic State activities, and the rise of ISIS-inspired attacks in other countries and on US soil. .
Eight years later, many of these bogeymen are back.
Eight weeks ago, Syrian rebels launched a massive offensive, seizing control of the country and its capital – forcing longtime ruler Bashar al-Assad to flee to Russia for safety. As in Trump's first term, the instability in the Middle East raised new questions about whether, or what role, the US should play in Syria – amid concerns that failure to act would open a tide of power in Syria, making it ripe for exploitation they are fighters of the Islamic State and other terrorist groups.
And on Wednesday, US authorities continued to investigate and respond to two separate attacks in New Orleans and Las Vegas. Despite being separated by thousands of miles, both are being investigated as much as possible for acts of terrorism—which clearly shows that the threat of extremism is far more prevalent than ever. and when before.
Before Trump's second term, violence — and the unexpected collapse of Syria's authoritarian regime — took place. raised new questions about how the US can act.
BOMB-MAKING EQUIPMENT FOUND IN NEW ORLEANS AIRBNB POSSIBLE OWNER OF BOURBON STREET TERRORIST: REPORT
Law enforcement officers from multiple agencies work on Bourbon Street after at least ten people were killed when someone rammed into a crowd in the early hours of January 1, 2025 in New Orleans, Louisiana. Several others were injured after the suspect in a rental truck drove around barriers and into a crowd of New Year's Eve revelers on Bourbon Street. The suspect then got out of the car, opened fire on the police and was later killed by law enforcement. (Michael DeMocker/Getty Images)
Elections for Trump
Trump, for his part, has been opposed to the idea which includes the US military in foreign wars. In 2019, he ordered the withdrawal of all military personnel from northern Syria.
He repeated those sentiments in a post last month on Social Truth, saying the US should have “nothing to do” with the situation in Syria.
“Let it play,” he said.
It is unclear whether, or to what extent, this week's deadly attacks may have shaped Trump's decision. Fourteen people were killed in New Orleans early Wednesday morning by Shamsud-Din Jabbar, a Texas native and US Army veteran who had driven from Houston to Bourbon Street in a rented truck, plowing into the of the crowds that had gathered outside the famous series of bars to. celebrate the new year. Jabbar himself was shot by the police.
FBI officials said Jabbar, who had an Islamic State flag in a rental car, was “100% inspired by ISIS” to carry out the attack, although it remains unclear if he has any specific ties. and the group.
Jabbare had made a commitment loyalty to the Islamic State and is believed to have joined the group last summer, officials said. He was also seen on surveillance footage planting two explosive devices inside coolers at the corner of Bourbon and Orleans Streets, and at other nearby intersections, though both were later recovered by the gang's teams. bombs.
Separately, the FBI said it was investigating the Las Vegas explosion of a Tesla Cybertruck outside Trump's Las Vegas hotel as a possible act of terrorism.
The suspect in the case, Matthew Alan Livelsberger, had been a member of US Army Special Forces unit before the explosion, and FBI officials raided a home in Colorado Springs on Thursday that they said they believe may be related to the case.
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Investigators search a rental home used by Shamsud-Din Jabbar in New Orleans, Louisiana on Thursday, January 2, 2024. (Kat Ramirez for Fox News Digital)
If Trump chooses to maintain his longstanding opposition to US involvement in “foreign wars,” there are other options he could take to try to combat domestic aggression. This could include scaling back immigration — a policy long favored by Trump and many Republicans in Congress — to prevent potentially dangerous actors from crossing the border.
In fact, the Department of Homeland Security told reporters in June that it had identified more than 400 migrants from Central Asia and other countries who had been smuggled into the U.S. by ISIS-affiliated groups in connection with extortion in recent years. the last three, which led to a new wave. to be held and the names of “objects concerned”.
DHS officials said the arrest, first reported by NBCthey were done with “an abundance of caution,” and at the time they were said to have identified no credible threats to the US by migrants, who may have been trying to find a way to cross into the US.
However, cracking down on the border may not be enough to solve the problem, which is further complicated by the role of wolf threat actors and cyber criminals.
At least 10 people are reported dead after a driver plowed into a crowd on Bourbon Street. (WVUE)
A common threat
The FBI is focused on the terrorist threat posed by domestic and domestic violent extremists, as it said in the latest report “Worldwide Threats to the Homeland”.
These small groups or individuals pose the greatest risk to national security, the report noted—often using readily available weapons, such as guns and vehicles, to attack so-called “soft targets.” ,” or groups of citizens gathered in large numbers in accessible areas.
The “biggest, most immediate international terrorist threat to the country” is people who have been living mostly in the US and who carry out actions inspired by, but not under the express direction of, a terrorist organization from outside the country like ISIS, a law enforcement agency. said.
In early December, the FBI and other officials warned of an increased risk of car attacks by lone wolf criminals during the holiday season, noting in a bulletin shared that actors should “dream and to carry out attacks against holiday targets” years ago, perhaps. including public places where “perceived low security levels” hold large gatherings.
The threat is also endless. Trump's first term as president has seen many attacks carried out by people pledging allegiance to ISIS or other jihadist groups – even if they were not acting under the direction of the group itself. These people were responsible for the 2016 Pulse nightclub shooting, the 2017 truck attack in New York City, the 2017 knife attack at a Middle Eastern restaurant in Columbus, Ohio, and many other acts of violence.
Car attacks are also on the rise: Since 2014, there have been at least 16 car attacks in the US and Europe carried out by jihadists, according to a report from think tank New America.
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And since 2020, the number of domestic terrorism investigations conducted by the FBI has doubled — a staggering rate that reflects the size and complexity of the growing problem.
Speaking to reporters at a press conference on Thursday, FBI officials said that the suspect in the New Orleans attack, Shamsud-Din Jabbar, was “100% inspired by ISIS.”
“First of all, let me be very clear on this point,” the FBI's Assistant Director for Counterterrorism, Christopher Raia, told reporters. “This was an act of terrorism. It was premeditated and an act of evil.”