America First Legal (AFL) recently achieved a significant outcome with the declassification of a secret strategy by the Biden Administration, following a formal request to Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard. This development enables the public to examine details of a strategy previously classified under the National Strategy for Countering Domestic Terrorism.
In 2021, AFL identified the existence of this classified plan during a lawsuit against the Department of Homeland Security. The plan reportedly involved cooperation between the FBI, CIA, DHS, and the State Department to address "right-wing domestic terrorism," with a focus on Trump supporters. The strategy proposed surveillance and collection of intelligence on U.S.-based violent extremism, facilitated by foreign partners.
A key element of the strategy was to investigate the relationship between disinformation and domestic terrorism. It proposed information sharing across various government levels and sought the involvement of the State Department and USAID in "digital literacy programming" to counter misinformation.
The AFL uncovered parallels between this strategy and its series of documents known as the Deep State Diaries. Among the similarities is the suggestion by intelligence experts, including John Brennan and James Clapper, that people's affiliations could indicate potential domestic terrorism risks. The strategy also called for foreign cooperation in addressing domestic issues through shared approaches at multilateral meetings.
Biden's strategy identified domestic terrorism threats as primarily right-wing, and it labeled certain domestic groups, including concerned parents at school board meetings, as domestic terrorists. These revelations have provoked AFL to continue its advocacy against what it perceives as the misuse of the intelligence community.
Andrew Block, Senior Counsel for AFL, emphasized the significance of the declassification, stating: "Since its founding, America First Legal has been at the leading edge of exposing government weaponization. This declassified plan is further proof of what we have known all along, which is that the Biden Administration used the full weight of the government to target American citizens. AFL applauds Director Gabbard for her leadership in declassifying this document. It is actions like this that will bring accountability to those responsible and help restore integrity and faith in the system."
This document's disclosure adds to a broader conversation about the proper use of national intelligence resources and their impact on civil liberties.