The 2026 Annual Threat Assessment released by the Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard's office reveals that terrorism threats from teenage extremists are surging.

'The most likely terrorist attack scenario in the Homeland involves US-based lone offenders,' the March 2026 unclassified report notes.

It goes on to list the 2025 New Year's Day attack in New Orleans, Louisiana, and the June 2025 attack in Boulder, Colorado examples, and blames anti-Israel sentiment for the increase in offenses of this nature. 

'These individuals take inspiration from foreign terrorist ideologies and propaganda that often exploit world events such as the Gaza conflict to fuel radicalization and mobilization,' the report claims.

It speculates that several young people have been radicalized due to the 'ease of accessing terrorist messaging' through social media.

'Teenage Islamist extremists were responsible for a significant portion of U.S.-based plotting in 2025, continuing a trend from the past several years,' it states.

A 16-year-old from Virginia rammed a stolen vehicle into a police car in New Jersey and attempted to stab the police officer in a March 2025 incident. The ATA threat assessment paper notes that the teen was 'motivated by Islamist ideology' and had 'consumed terrorist media and wanted to join ISIS.'

Trump's top spy chief joined CIA Director John Ratcliffe and FBI Director Kash Patel  in testifying before the Senate Intelligence Committee on Wednesday about worldwide threats the US is facing. 

January 1, 2025, a man radicalized by ISIS drove a truck through a New Year's parade occurred on Bourbon Street in the popular French quarter of New Orleans. 

Fourteen people died and 57 were injured.

The terrorist attack led to the postponement of the Sugar Bowl between Notre Dame and Georgia by almost 24 hours at the Superdome in the city, which also hosted the Super Bowl last year.

Over the summer, Mohamed Sabry Soliman, 45, allegedly shouted 'Free Palestine' as he launched makeshift Molotov cocktails at a group of peaceful demonstrators at the Pearl Street Mall in Colorado. 

Those gathered for the June 1, 2025 event were participating in 'Run for Their Lives,' a group that met weekly for walks to bring more awareness to the Israeli hostages in Gaza. 

The FBI immediately described the violence as a 'targeted terror attack,' and the DOJ charged him with a hate crime. 

The threat of lone actor terrorist attacks and 'terror cells' operating inside the US is especially heightened in the aftermath of President Donald Trump igniting a war on Iran.