The U.S. federal government (USG) employs hundreds of thousands of people who hold positions of trust, including ones requiring security clearances. It is imperative that those assessing, investigating, and adjudicating government personnel background checks and security clearances have knowledge and interest in ensuring that malicious actors, irrespective of their underlying motives, are prevented from joining this trusted workforce. This policy report will discuss individuals in USG employment, including those with security clearances, who have ties to far-right extremist movements and activities. The report focuses on far-right actors who potentially pose insider threats due to their sizeable support base and their history within the federal security-related workforce. In particular, the authors surveyed publicly reported insider threat activities of white supremacists/nationalists, anti-government extremists, militia extremists, and other far-rightists.
Publication Information
Johnson, Daryl, and Alejandro Beutel. 2022. “Protecting the U.S. Government from Far-Right Insider Threats.” Newlines Institute, (September). https://newlinesinstitute.org/nonstate-actors/protecting-the-u-s-government-from-far-right-insider-threats/.