More see domestic terrorism as bigger threat than foreign terrorism: Survey

There is a quiet but significant realignment happening in how Americans define the word “enemy.” For decades, the national security conversation was dominated by foreign threats—terror networks, hostile states, and global ideological conflicts. But the latest Reuters/Ipsos survey flips that script: only one in five Americans now sees foreign terrorism as the top threat to their personal safety, while one in three points the finger at domestic terrorism. Even more telling, the largest group—42 percent—worries most about random violent acts, a category that feels less like a geopolitical plot and more like the unpredictable chaos of a fractured society. What makes this poll remarkable is not just the numbers, but what they reveal about public psychology. The threat of foreign terrorism was once a unifying force—it brought Americans together under a shared sense of external danger. Domestic terrorism, by contrast, is inherently divisive. It forces us to confront the uncomfortable reality that the danger may come from our own neighbors, our own political movements, our own online echo chambers. The survey suggests that Americans are no longer looking outward for the boogeyman; they are looking in the mirror, and they do not entirely like what they see. It is also worth noting what this poll does not tell us. The survey captures a moment in time, and public perceptions of threat are notoriously volatile, often spiking after high-profile attacks or mass shootings. The fact that “random violent acts” tops the list suggests a broader anxiety about public safety that extends beyond terrorism as traditionally defined. That may be a more honest reflection of daily life for many Americans—not the fear of a coordinated plot, but the fear of being in the wrong place at the wrong time. For policymakers, the takeaway is uncomfortable but clear: the traditional tools of counterterrorism—surveillance, border security, international intelligence—are no longer sufficient to address what Americans fear most. The new threat landscape is domestic, decentralized, and deeply entangled with political polarization. Addressing it will require not just law enforcement, but a broader conversation about social cohesion, online radicalization, and the health of democratic institutions. As the poll suggests, Americans are ready to have that conversation—even if the answers are far from easy. Source: https://thehill.com/policy/national-security/6076466-americans-fear-domestic-terrorism-more/