Latest news with #Trumplican
Time of India
3 days ago
- Politics
- Time of India
Thomas Fugate: A novice who replaced an army veteran to lead US terror prevention centre
Thomas Fugate, the 22-year-old college graduate, with no previous government leadership or security experience, has been picked up by US President Donald Trump to head the Centre for Prevention Programs and Partnerships, as first reported by ProPublica. Thomas Fugate has been appointed to a leadership role in the Center for Prevention Programs and Partnerships, known as CP3, which works to combat terrorism, school shootings and other hate-driven violence. This includes an $18 million grant program intended to help communities battle violent extremism, reports The Independent. Here are key things you need to know about Thomas Fugate: -Thomas Fugate, a former gardener and grocery store worker who graduated from college last year, was hired by DHS in February, The Daily Mail reported, citing his LinkedIn profile. -The University of Texas at San Antonio graduate landed a position on Donald Trump's campaign in 2024 and then he was subsequently hired by DHS. -A former Heritage Foundation intern and self-described "Trumplican", Fugate's LinkedIn profile does not show experience in counterterrorism or any related security-related fields. He also does not have an impressive internship history. -On Thomas Fugate's professional page are stints running a gardening and landscaping business as well as experience working as a grocery store associate. In 2020, he was working as a self-employed 'Landscape Business Owner.' Live Events ALSO READ: Meet Thomas Fugate: 22-year-old ex-gardener and grocery store assistant to lead $18 million terror prevention team -Prior to his work as a gardener—while studying for a degree in politics and law—Fugate worked at an H-E-B supermarket in Austin, Texas, as a 'Cross Functional Team Member', according to The Daily Beast. -According to his LinkedIn, he would 'perform various activities around every department of the store, fulfilling key duties contributing to store operations.' He has served as an 'advance team member' on President Donald Trump's 2024 campaign, according to his LinkedIn page. -Fugate was reportedly hired as a 'special assistant' in an immigration office at the DHS in February, according to ProPublica. He then took over CP3 after its previous director quit. -"Tom Fugate has performed well in his current role as a Confidential Assistant in our Immigration & Border Security suboffice," a DHS official told Daily Mail, adding this is a credit to his work ethic and success on the job. ALSO READ: Amid Trump-Musk spat, Tesla CEO's immigration status under scanner. Can President deport him? -The recent appointment of a University of San Antonio graduate has raised concerns among counterterrorism experts and insiders. 'It sounds like putting the intern in charge,' a counterterrorism researcher who has experience working with CP3 told ProPublica. 'We're entering very dangerous territory,' another longtime counterterrorism official said. -Fulgate took over from Army veteran Bill Braniff, who resigned in March after the Trump administration cut 20 percent of his staff, accoridng to The Independent. Braniff has more than 20 years' experience in national security. -Replacing Braniff with Fulgate is 'an insult,' a source told ProPublica. Braniff helped with the move 'toward evidence-based approaches to terrorism prevention' in a field still dealing with post-9/11 work that was predisposed to stigmatizing Muslims, the source added. 'They really started to shift the conversation and shift the public thinking. It was starting to get to the root of the problem,' they said. 'Now that's all gone."
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
A 22-year-old college grad with no government experience is now leading an $18 million terror prevention team: ‘Putting the intern in charge'
A 22-year-old college graduate with no previous government leadership experience is now heading up a Department of Homeland Security terror prevention team. Thomas Fulgate, a former Heritage Foundation intern and self-described 'Trumplican,' has been appointed to a leadership role in the Center for Prevention Programs and Partnerships, known as CP3, which works to combat terrorism, school shootings and other hate-driven violence. This includes an $18 million grant program intended to help communities violent extremism. The appointment of the recent University of San Antonio grad has counterterrorism experts and insiders on edge, ProPublica first reported. 'It sounds like putting the intern in charge,' a counterterrorism researcher who has experience working with CP3 told the outlet. 'We're entering very dangerous territory,' another longtime counterterrorism official said. Officials spoke out about the appointment as spring saw a number of high-profile, violent incidents, including the recent attack in Boulder, Colorado, the fatal shooting of two Israeli embassy staffers in Washington, D.C., and a car bombing outside a California fertility center. Fulgate took over from Army veteran Bill Braniff, who resigned in March after the Trump administration cut 20 percent of his staff. Braniff has more than 20 years' experience in national security. 'If I cannot advance the prevention mission from inside of the government for now, I will do what I can outside of government,' he wrote in a LinkedIn post announcing his resignation. 'CP3 is the inheritor of the primary and founding mission of DHS - to prevent terrorism,' he added. Braniff's achievements in the post included funneling nearly $90 million since 2020 toward helping communities tackle extremist violence. Replacing Braniff with Fulgate is 'an insult,' a source told ProPublica. Braniff helped with the move 'toward evidence-based approaches to terrorism prevention' in a field still dealing with post-9/11 work that was predisposed to stigmatizing Muslims, the source added. 'They really started to shift the conversation and shift the public thinking. It was starting to get to the root of the problem,' they said. 'Now that's all gone.' Before taking up the new leadership responsibilities, Fulgate was hired as a 'special assistant' in an immigration office at the Department of Homeland Security. The department told ProPublica that Fulgate was 'temporarily given additional leadership responsibilities' in CP3 'due to his success.' Staffers he works with, however, have likened meeting with him to 'career conseling' while expressing shock at how little he appears to know about the role, the outlet reported. The Independent has contacted the Department of Homeland Security for further comment. According to Fulgate's LinkedIn profile, he worked as a gardener briefly in 2020 before embarking on fellowships and internships, including at the conservative Heritage Foundation. He worked on the Trump campaign last year where he attended the Republican National Convention. He also served as secretary general of a Model United Nations club. He also shared photos in recent months at the White House. In one post, he gushed about taking 'the first major leap' of his career. The criticism of the 22-year-old follows similar outrage over Elon Musk's hiring of teenagers in the Department of Government Efficiency. Edward Coristine, a 19-year-old Northeastern University drop-out, was part of a group of young DOGE engineers who were given access to critical computer systems as part of the Trump administration's efforts to gut the federal government. President Donald Trump stood by the group after widespread criticism earlier this year. 'I'm very proud of the job that this group of young people, generally young people, but very smart people, they're doing,' Trump said.
