How Federal Directives and Leaked Memos Target Political Dissent
In post-9/11 national security strategy, "preemption"—stopping an act before it occurs—was the core principle of foreign counterterrorism. Today, that same "pre-crime" framework has been formally redirected inward.
Investigative reporting by journalist Ken Klippenstein—frequently covered on The Young Turks and Truthout—has brought to light presidential directives and internal agency memos outlining an all-of-government mandate to monitor, profile, and disrupt political activism under the banner of domestic terrorism.
The Anchor Directive: National Security Presidential Memorandum 7 (NSPM-7)
Signed in September 2025, NSPM-7, titled "Countering Domestic Terrorism and Organized Political Violence," establishes the federal government’s legal framework for domestic surveillance and preemption.
The Pre-Crime Mandate: The directive explicitly instructs federal agencies to "investigate and disrupt" entities and individuals "before they result in violent political acts."
Targeting "Indicia" of Belief: Rather than focusing strictly on illegal acts, NSPM-7 identifies ideological "indicia" (indicators) of potential radicalism.
These include:
- Anti-capitalist or anti-American rhetoric.
- Opposition to traditional views on family, religion, or gender.
- Expression of anti-authority sentiment in anonymous chat forums, social media, or educational settings.
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| Line up of police |
The Leaked DOJ Implementation Memo
Following NSPM-7, a leaked internal directive from Attorney General Pam Bondi (dated December 4, 2025, and published by Klippenstein) instructed the FBI and federal law enforcement to begin compiling formal lists of suspected "domestic terrorism" groups.
Expanding the Definition of Domestic Terrorism
A central feature of the leaked directive involves a significant broadening of what constitutes "domestic terrorism." Under this framework, the boundaries separating civil disobedience from actual acts of terror are blurred. Non-violent political protests, organized doxxing, and vocal opposition to federal immigration enforcement are explicitly equated with domestic terrorism, lowering the threshold required for federal security interventions.
Ideological Profiling and Watchlists
Alongside these expanded definitions, the document introduces ideological profiling aimed at specific viewpoints. Organizations and individuals that express anti-capitalist, anti-Christian, or radical gender ideology perspectives are explicitly targeted for heightened scrutiny, posing direct concerns regarding First Amendment viewpoint protections. To support these measures, the directive instructs federal agencies to compile comprehensive databases tracking domestic activist groups. This system creates a watchlist expansion mechanism reminiscent of the surveillance and intelligence-gathering methods seen during the COINTELPRO era.
The Interagency Implementation Web
While the NSPM-7 directive originates at the White House and is administered through the Department of Justice, it mandates a comprehensive, all-of-government enforcement approach. The pipeline begins at the executive level and flows into the DOJ, FBI, and Joint Terrorism Task Force (JTTF) networks, where the broadened domestic terrorist lists are managed. From there, implementation reaches the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and FEMA through federal grant allocation systems. Ultimately, these resources and expanded watchlists feed down into state and local Fusion Centers, which leverage commercial data and continuous indicator monitoring to track targeted groups across local jurisdictions.
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| FEMA logo |
FEMA administers billions in federal security funding via the Homeland Security Grant Program (HSGP) and Targeted Violence and Terrorism Prevention (TVTP) grants. State and local "Fusion Centers" rely on these FEMA-administered grants. Under NSPM-7 guidelines, funding requires local law enforcement to train officers in identifying the political "precursors" and "indicia" specified by the federal government. DHS agencies routinely bypass Fourth Amendment warrant requirements by purchasing cell phone location history, social media scrapings, and consumer data directly from third-party data brokers.
What This Means for Free Speech & Public Activism
For every American who participates in grassroots organizing, peaceful assembly, or vocal political dissent, this structural shift poses clear constitutional challenges. When ordinary political opinions (such as expressing anti-capitalist views or criticizing police policies) are categorized as "pre-crime indicators," citizen participation in public debate is discouraged. Speech-based profiling increases the risk of non-violent activists being added to intelligence databases or flagged at travel checkpoints. Civil rights organizations, including the Brennan Center, maintain that targeting non-violent action and political speech violates core First Amendment guarantees.
Primary Reporting & Source References
NSPM-7 Directive Analysis: Ken Klippenstein's Coverage on Truthout
Leaked DOJ Implementation Memo: Democracy Now Report on Leaked Bondi Memo
Constitutional Rights Breakdown: Brennan Center Analysis on Domestic Terror Mandates
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