The U.S. Department of Homeland Security has elevated the nationwide alert level against terrorism due to potential threats from domestic extremists who oppose the government and President Joe Biden.
According to Agence France-Presse, the department has information indicating that some ideologically motivated violent extremists who are opposed to governmental authority and the presidential transition may continue mobilizing to incite or commit violence. The department elaborated that the heightened threat of an attack is expected to continue in the weeks following the successful presidential inauguration that took place on January 20, while also affirming that it has no information indicating a specific and credible conspiracy.
The department pointed out that there have been violent riots in recent days, increasing concerns that individuals frustrated with governmental authority and the presidential transition may continue to rally a wide range of ideologically motivated actors to incite or commit violence. The department noted that there have been increasing threats since last year from local violent extremists driven by COVID-19 restrictions, Biden's defeat of Donald Trump in the November elections, police brutality, and illegal immigration. It disclosed that these motivations could remain present for the coming months and that the January 6 attack by Trump supporters on Congress could encourage extremists to target elected officials and government facilities.
It is worth mentioning that over 150 individuals, including members of extremist armed groups, have been arrested since the attack, which has been characterized as a rebellion. The department urged the public to report suspicious activities and threats of violence.
In related news, the U.S. Senate unanimously voted to postpone the trial of former President Donald Trump regarding his role in the bloody Capitol riots until February 9. The Senate received the legislation for Trump's impeachment on the evening of Monday, outlining charges against him for inciting rebellion. The success of Trump's impeachment process requires support from two-thirds of the Senate members, comprised of 100 senators who will act as jurors during the trial sessions. Most members of the U.S. House of Representatives voted on January 13, 2021, including 10 Republican lawmakers, in favor of legislation that calls for Trump's impeachment on charges of inciting rebellion following the incident on January 6, which resulted in the deaths of five individuals.
Notably, Trump, who left office on January 20 at the start of his successor, Democrat Joe Biden's term, became the first president in U.S. history to face impeachment twice. For his part, President Joe Biden believes that there will not be enough votes to convict his predecessor Donald Trump during his trial in the Senate regarding the impeachment and has doubted that 17 Republican senators will vote to convict Trump, which is the number needed for this step if all 50 Democrats vote in favor of conviction.
