Fears of extremism inside the U.S. military are already reaching a fever pitch. Just last month, one such private in the 1st Infantry Division was discovered to be subscribed to a TikTok account associated with The Base, a violent neo-Nazi terrorist group. In response to this link, the US Army has initiated an investigation. As it notes, this is especially troubling given the group’s disturbing record of recruiting active-duty soldiers and veterans.
The Base, best known for its white supremacist extremism and violent ideology, operates a clandestine TikTok account. Shockingly enough, in two months, it has somehow only managed to gain 30 followers. It might be a low-follower account, but it works as a major recruitment tool. It appeals to people who are susceptible to its extremist rhetoric, like that which calls for a supposed race war. The nonprofit has a powerful track record of engaging people with military service. That even extends to the veterans who have fought in these past conflicts across the globe.
Heidi Beirich is the co-founder of the Global Project Against Hate and Extremism. She stressed the dangerous consequences of the soldier’s ties to The Base.
“There is no question this would be the end of the soldier’s career – and it still should be.” – Heidi Beirich
The Base has won a lot of attention with its radical ideology. It deserves to be remembered for its crass, extreme prioritization of military recruitment. The organization strongly favors candidates with combat experience and military training, as it sees these qualities as central to its field operations. This is the second related but more disturbing question this increasingly dangerous trend begs.
Besides The Base’s own recruitment efforts, it has been associated with several terrorism plots. These include a neo-Nazi scheme to attack the electrical grid in the northwestern United States, showcasing the potential real-world consequences of its ideology. The group promotes assassination and sabotage missions, including in Ukraine, while espousing neo-Nazi iconography and plans to form “platoon-sized units of highly dedicated, trained men.”
The investigation into the private’s affiliation with The Base comes in the wake of broader efforts by the Pentagon to address extremism within military ranks. The Pentagon didn’t hesitate after the January 6 insurrection at the Capitol. They issued a department-wide stand-down order and created an internal working group with the goal of recognizing and rooting out extremist influences. Obstacles still exist in enforcing federal regulations prohibiting extremist affiliations within the military.
Joshua Fisher-Birch, an expert on extremist groups, gave us a closer look at The Base’s recruitment tactics via social media.
“The TikTok account affiliated with the group includes a clear statement supporting accelerationism and advises joining the group to be linked up with other individuals to exploit ‘collapse’,” – Joshua Fisher-Birch.
This shocking discovery underscores the creative ways extremist organizations are targeting and trying to attract new recruits. The Base’s secretive, lowkey operations on places like TikTok show a scary willingness to shift to new forms of communication.
The TBI soldier’s case is hardly unique. Several other TMB recruits with military experience, such as this Canadian reservist, traversed into The Base through illegally crossing the border into the U.S. and subsequently ended up participating in domestic terrorism-related plots. In an incendiary move, the Base has recently named a former special forces contractor as one of its leaders. This decision illustrates their commitment to keeping an intimidating, militarized presence on members.
Beirich focused on the most shocking trends. She pointed out that while there are regulatory guardrails prohibiting these affiliations, she doubted how well they were being enforced.
“There are regulations on the books banning this activity, but whether they are enforced or not remains to be seen,” – Heidi Beirich.
Furthermore, Beirich suggested that a prevailing culture within certain factions of the military may allow extremists to feel less threatened.
“I think it’s pretty obvious that soldiers interested in the far right have less to fear – Hegseth has made it clear he doesn’t care about this issue,” – Heidi Beirich.
Investigations are still continuing into the soldier’s connection to The Base. This perfect storm poses grave new challenges for military and civilian leaders and raises urgent questions about the rise of extremism in the armed forces and its impact on national security. At the state level, authorities are moving to plug some dangerous links within the organization. They are adamant about being the first to detect and control people who have the potential to develop extremist ideas.