Sebastian Gorka said U.S. counterterrorism efforts should be centered on what he described as the country’s current security threats rather than political considerations, arguing that federal authorities must adapt to the changing landscape of domestic and international violence.
Speaking about national security priorities, Gorka said his approach is to remove politics from counterterrorism policy and instead concentrate resources on organizations and individuals he believes present the greatest danger today.
“So we’re taking politics out of counterterrorism, and what we are focusing on is real threats, cartels under Stephen Miller, jihadists under our directorate, and then the anti-left-wing threat,” Gorka said.
He argued that recent research supports his assessment, pointing to a report published by the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS). Gorka emphasized that he does not view the organization as politically aligned with the conservative movement.
“Because sadly, CSIS, the Center for Security and International Studies, it’s not a MAGA outfit. Okay, that is a Democrat think tank, and they literally just published an extensive report saying the empirical facts are pretty clear.”
According to Gorka, the report concluded that while right-wing terrorism continues to exist, left-wing terrorism has become the more significant form of political violence in the United States.
“We may have some right-wing terrorists in America, but left-wing terrorism is the ascendant form of violence,” he said.
Gorka then pointed to several high-profile attacks that he believes illustrate the current threat environment.
Referring to President Donald Trump, he argued that multiple attempts have been made on the president’s life.
“How many left-wing terrorists have tried to kill my boss, President Trump?” Gorka asked.
He also cited the 2017 shooting that seriously wounded then-House Majority Whip Steve Scalise during a congressional baseball practice in Alexandria, Virginia.
“Look at Steve Scalise, almost killed, shot in the hip by a Bernie Sanders campaign volunteer at a baseball game not far from where we’re sitting,” Gorka said.
Gorka also referenced the death of Charlie Kirk, describing it as another example of what he believes is the current trend in politically motivated violence.
“Or our friend, my friend Charlie Kirk, killed live on camera by somebody who likewise was a left-wing terrorist.”
Throughout his remarks, Gorka argued that counterterrorism priorities should evolve over time rather than remain fixed on threats that were more prominent decades ago.
He contrasted today’s security environment with that of the 1990s, when he said right-wing militia groups were viewed as a more pressing concern by law enforcement and intelligence agencies.
“If we were back in the 1990s and I was the terrorism chief for for the present back then, yeah, I’d be concentrating on militias. I’d be looking at right wing potential terrorists,” Gorka said.
He maintained, however, that the security landscape has changed significantly and requires a different strategy.
“But we’re not in the 1990 s. It’s 2026, and I have to look at the real threat.”
Gorka concluded by reiterating what he believes should be the three primary areas of focus for U.S. counterterrorism efforts moving forward.
“The real threat is jihadis, cartels, and left wing violence.”
WATCH:
His comments came during a broader discussion about national security and domestic terrorism, where he argued that law enforcement and intelligence agencies should prioritize what he described as present-day threats rather than relying on strategies designed for an earlier era.
Gorka said that effective counterterrorism policy depends on assessing current conditions and directing government resources toward the dangers he believes are most relevant today.
