Breaking Down the Headlines: The 2026 United States Counterterrorism Strategy- Part One
- driepdirector
- 3 days ago
- 5 min read
In this blog series, we'll be breaking down some of the complex news, legal actions, and policies that are impacting LGBTQ+ folks. Each week we will breakdown one news story, legal action, or policy in clear, plain language without the clickbait, and give you tools to learn more or take action. This week, we are focusing on the 2026 United States Counterterrorism Strategy.
On May 6th, 2026, the Trump administration released the 2026 United States Counterterrorism Strategy, after months of delay.
This document is full of propaganda. We are going to examine that with depth in future posts on this topic, but for today, we are going to discuss what this document is, and equally important, what it isn’t.
Before we get started, it is very important to name the very real fear that people are experiencing with the release of this document and the language it contains. But fear can do two things at once. It can warn us about genuine danger, and it can also make us freeze and feel powerless.
That is exactly why understanding what is happening matters so much.
We can take these tactics seriously and understand them with as much context as we can find. But we must not give them more power than they actually have. That is where we begin to see people and institutions give up and over comply, like we have seen with hospitals and gender affirming medical care, and Universities eliminating words and entire topics from curriculum.
Our goal with this post, and this series in general, is not to tell people they are overreacting, or to invalidate fear. Our goal is to offer facts and nuance that are often missing, and which are critical to having a full picture to inform decision making and advocacy actions. We want to help combat the feeling of powerlessness and the pull for compliance. Fear doesn’t have to be something that makes you freeze, and accurate information can help. This moment calls for clarity, community, and action. Clear information is part of community safety.
What the Counterterrorism Strategy Actually Is, and Is NOT
What the Counterterrorism Strategy Is
1. A document of priorities rather than an actual strategy. The 2026 United States Counterterrorism Strategy is a document that outlines priorities and goals rather than a strategy to execute those priorities and goals. The 16-page memo focuses on “three major types of terror groups”:
· “narcoterrorists and transnational gangs”
· “legacy Islamist terrorists”
· “violent left-wing extremists, including anarchists and anti-fascists.”
2. A document to reinforce Executive Orders. This document is directly related to executive orders 14157- Designating Cartels And Other Organizations As Foreign Terrorist Organizations And Specially Designated Global Terrorists (January, 2025), and 46317- Designating Antifa as a Domestic Terrorist Organization (September, 2025). More on this later in the series.
3. A propaganda tool. The 2026 United States Counterterrorism Strategy is not just “counterterrorism strategy”. The document itself is part of a political strategy. The goal of this political strategy is not just to pass policy. It is also to shape public emotion. It is meant to create fear, confusion, and exhaustion. It is meant to convince people that dissent is too dangerous to say anything, that marginalized communities are threats, and that ordinary people are too powerless to push back.
More on propaganda later in the series.
What the Counterterrorism Strategy Is NOT
1. This “strategy” is not a fully realized plan. The language is vague when it comes to the actual execution of the priorities named in the document.
2. It is not policy. It does not create a legal system for arresting or executing people simply because they disagree with the administration. It is important to note that currently, domestic terrorism is not a chargeable federal offense. More on this later in the series.
The “We Will Find You and We Will Kill You” Preamble
Two things are true at once.
This language is shocking, and it is not legally enforceable. It is NOT an Executive Order or official directive.
That doesn’t make the language less terrifying to read, but the distinction matters.
The statement fits into the administration’s broader political style: aggressive, militarized, hyper-masculine, and heavily focused on projecting dominance in a violent manner.
That kind of language serves multiple purposes. This type of language:
energizes supporters who are drawn to displays of force and punishment,
increases fear among communities already being targeted politically,
and pressures critics and dissenters psychologically by making resistance feel dangerous or hopeless.
With violent language like this, it can be easy for misinformation to spread very quickly, because it is scary, and people want to protect each other. We want to offer some clarity.
The President did not issue an Executive Order authorizing the government to “find and kill” political dissenters, transgender people, protesters, or critics of the administration. Claims circulating online that such an order exists are, as of today, false. While the language in this preamble, and the full document, is deeply concerning and scary, exaggerating what has legally happened can convince people that there is no point in taking action because we are already at the worst-case scenario, unintentionally increasing panic and making people freeze out of fear.
And this ultimately helps authoritarian politics.
When people feel overwhelmed, isolated, and hopeless, they are less likely to organize, speak out, support each other, or take action. That is why staying grounded in verified facts as much as you can matters so much. Clear information is part of community safety. Propaganda seeks to make sharing clear information more difficult, or even impossible. Even with the best of intentions, misinformation supports propaganda's mission.
What Can You Do?
Recognize that while the language in the 2026 United States Counterterrorism Strategy is scary and should not be dismissed, this document is a propaganda tool and does not create any policy or legal system of enforcement. That is not to say that targeting of vulnerable people for domestic terrorism will not happen in response to the 2026 United States Counterterrorism Strategy, but right now the administration does not have the law on its side.
Read the document for yourself rather than just relying on the perspective of others. This is always a good thing to do.
We don’t have to freeze or isolate because of fear and overwhelm. Do what feels right to help you feel safe and also empowered. Tap into community however you can.
Stick with us for the rest of this series, as we further unpack this document, and the propaganda within it.
