"The discovery of a U.S. Army soldier, currently serving in the 1st Infantry Division, following a secret TikTok account operated by proscribed neo-Nazi terrorist group The Base has reignited concerns about the Pentagon's approach to extremism within the armed forces, especially after a February memo halted efforts to track and counter such threats.
The Base, designated as a terrorist organization by several U.S. allies including the U.K. and Canada, has previously been the focus of FBI investigations for promoting sabotage, assassination, and the establishment of paramilitary units.
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However, critics argue that leadership under Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has deprioritized combating far-right extremism. On February 25, the Department of Defense inspector general's office issued a memo halting an assessment of how military branches implement counter-extremism training. The memo cited misalignment with President Donald Trump's executive orders as the reason for the decision.
Mollie Halpern, spokesperson for the Pentagon's IG office, stated that content connected to extremist ideologies 'falls under the DEI [Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion] umbrella,' which the new administration has moved to restrict or eliminate."
