An international neo-Nazi terrorist organisation, The Base, is reportedly planning a paramilitary training event in the United States, signalling a resurgence despite previous FBI raids. The group, founded in 2018 by a former Pentagon contractor living in Russia, once had nearly 50 members in the US before a crackdown led to over a dozen arrests.
According to online posts, The Base is soliciting crypto donations to support travel expenses for what it claims could be its most attended US training event in some time. The group describes itself as a 'White Defence Force' aiming to protect white people from 'political persecution and physical destruction'. Recent photos show armed members in the Midwest and Appalachia.
Analyst Joshua Fisher-Birch, who tracks far-right extremism, noted that the public advertisement of the event indicates The Base believes the risk is acceptable under the current administration. 'The Base appears to be actively seeking to grow in the US,' he said. The group has also expanded into Ukraine and Europe, conducting sabotage operations.
The FBI responded that it investigates only criminal activity, not group membership, which is protected under the First Amendment. However, experts unanimously agree that far-right extremism remains the top domestic terrorism threat in the US.
