Extremism: After Trump’s swearing in: right-wing radicals show their presence

Since President Donald Trump was sworn in, various right-wing radical groups in the USA have taken public actions. In the capital Washington, members of the right-wing extremist group “Patriot Front” staged a demonstration on the sidelines of a demonstration by abortion opponents. Dressed in uniform, they posed with American flags, other emblems and an image of Jesus in front of the historic Washington Monument. The “Patriot Front” propagates racist, xenophobic and anti-Semitic ideologies.

There were also actions by right-wing radicals in other parts of the country. As several US media reported, leaflets apparently created by the Ku Klux Klan were discovered in several cities in the state of Kentucky, urging migrants to leave the country. US citizens were therefore called upon to monitor and report “all migrants”. The responsible police authority has initiated an investigation.

This is also relevant in the context of a law that Trump is expected to sign soon. It gives authorities more power to detain undocumented immigrants for minor crimes like shoplifting. Those affected should be deported quickly. Suspicion is enough – a guilty verdict is not necessary.

Trump fueled resentment

As one of his first acts in office, Trump pardoned everyone involved in the storming of the US Capitol on January 6, 2021 shortly after his swearing in. Among those released are prominent members of the right-wing extremist groups “Oath Keepers” and “Proud Boys,” some of whom were sentenced to long prison terms. After their release they were demonstratively triumphant.

There are concerns that Trump’s language and actions are fueling extremist groups. During the election campaign, the Republican repeatedly stirred up resentment. He generally portrayed migrants as criminals, claimed that they poisoned the country’s “blood” and indirectly referred to migrants from poorer countries in particular as “trash.” He called political opponents “vermin” – a choice of words that his Democratic predecessor Joe Biden criticized as “Nazi rhetoric.”