FBI sounds alarm on rising terror threats in the U.S., but the real concern is what just happened inside the Justice Department
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The U.S. is facing a significantly elevated terrorism threat at the same time its counterterrorism system is losing experienced personnel. As reported by AP News, that combination has raised concerns about whether the government is as prepared as it was even a year ago.
Those concerns have sharpened after three recent violent incidents. Federal authorities say two men inspired by the Islamic State brought homemade bombs to a far-right protest in New York City, while in Michigan a naturalized citizen from Lebanon rammed his vehicle into the Temple Israel synagogue before taking his own life.
In Virginia, a man with a prior terrorism conviction was heard yelling “Allahu akbar” before opening fire in a university classroom, and officials said students killed the shooter. The incidents have unfolded as the U.S. war with Iran adds pressure to an already strained national security environment.
The bigger problem is who is no longer in place
The current threat picture is serious on its own, but former officials say the staffing losses matter just as much. Firings, resignations, and reassignments have raised doubts about whether the FBI and Justice Department can keep pace if threats intensify, amid the Iran war costs .
Frank Montoya, a retired senior FBI official, said too much experience has been stripped from the ranks. He said the people best positioned to identify threats before they turn deadly are often gone, leaving less experienced personnel to start from far behind.
Iran has a long history of plotting attacks and targeted killings inside the U.S. Iranian operatives were linked to a disrupted murder-for-hire plot targeting former national security adviser John Bolton after the 2020 assassination of Gen. Qassem Soleimani, and a Pakistani business owner was convicted in New York last week of trying to hire hit men in 2024 for assassination plots targeting public figures, including President Donald Trump.
The FBI also recently warned law enforcement about Iran’s aspiration for a drone attack targeting California, though officials later said the intelligence was unverified and no specific plot was known. That concern has landed alongside Iran-linked cyber disruption and broader fears about retaliation.
Lone actors radicalized online remain one of the FBI’s most persistent problems. Former FBI official Edward Herbst said their unpredictability makes them especially dangerous, while former national security official Claire Moravec said international conflicts can act as accelerants by intensifying existing grievances.
The staffing losses inside the Justice Department and FBI have only deepened those worries. According to Justice Connection estimates, about half of the Justice Department’s counterterrorism prosecutors have left since the start of the Trump administration, along with about a third of its senior leadership, while FBI Director Kash Patel has also fired dozens of agents.
Matthew Olsen, who led the National Security Division during the Biden administration, said the agencies are not as capable as they were a year and a half ago. The FBI said its agents and staff remain dedicated professionals working around the clock, and a Justice Department spokesperson said there are no known or credible threats to the homeland.
Published: Mar 14, 2026 10:00 am