A terrorism label that comes before the facts can turn ‘domestic terrorism’ into a useless designation

A ‘domestic terrorism’ label that comes before the facts teaches the public to treat the term as propaganda rather than factual diagnosis.

By: Brian O'Neill, Georgia Institute of Technology, The Conversation

Outlets: The Conversation

Published: February 5, 2026

Words: 1,075

Last Updated: 1 month, 1 week ago

By Brian O'Neill, Georgia Institute of Technology

In separate encounters, federal immigration agents in Minneapolis killed Renée Good and Alex Pretti in January 2026.

Shortly after Pretti’s killing, Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem said he committed an “act of domestic terrorism.” Noem made the same accusation against Good.

But the label “domestic terrorism” is not a generic synonym for the kind of politically charged violence Noem alleged both had committed. U.S. …

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