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Polls Show Americans Now View Domestic Extremism and Mass Shootings as Bigger Threats Than Foreign Terror

Recent polling and 25th‑anniversary disclosures are forcing a reassessment of U.S. counterterror priorities, capacity, ideological strategy, and survivor health and accountability claims.

Overview

  • The Reuters/Ipsos poll released Tuesday showed 33% of respondents named domestic terrorism as the top safety threat, 20% named foreign terror, and 42% named random acts of violence such as mass shootings.
  • Majorities still back some post‑9/11 measures like airport screening, but 65% oppose allowing intelligence agencies to monitor U.S. citizens’ electronic communications without a warrant.
  • Analysts report the U.S. counterterror posture shifted after 2017 toward a partner‑led model that reduced direct engagement overseas and has strained capacity through redeployments, agent losses, and new mission demands.
  • Commentary is split over emphasis for future policy with some urging ideological pushback against jihadist ideas and others calling for continued operational focus on disruption and intelligence.
  • The 25th anniversary has focused attention on legacy issues such as newly released air‑quality and health documents and could affect accountability and benefits for first responders and survivors.