A new U.S. intelligence report is warning that the most likely terror threat facing the country is not foreign armies, but lone attackers already inside America.
The 2026 Annual Threat Assessment, released by the Office of the Director of National Intelligence, states that “the most likely terrorist attack scenario” involves individuals acting alone.
The report points to a growing trend of homegrown extremists, particularly younger individuals, becoming radicalized online.
“These individuals take inspiration from foreign terrorist ideologies and propaganda,” the report states.
Officials say social media is playing a major role in spreading extremist messaging.
The report highlights how easy access to online content is fueling radicalization, especially among teenagers.
“Teenage Islamist extremists were responsible for a significant portion of U.S.-based plotting in 2025,” the assessment notes.
Recent attacks were cited as evidence of the growing threat.
On New Year’s Day 2025, a man inspired by ISIS drove a truck into a crowd in New Orleans.
Fourteen people were killed and dozens more were injured.
In another case, a 16-year-old in New Jersey rammed a stolen vehicle into a police car and attempted to stab an officer.
Authorities said the teen had consumed terrorist propaganda and wanted to join ISIS.
The report also referenced a June 2025 attack in Boulder, Colorado.
A suspect allegedly threw Molotov cocktails at demonstrators while shouting political slogans.
The FBI classified the incident as a targeted terror attack, per the Daily Mail.
Officials warn that global events are increasingly being used to fuel domestic radicalization.
The report specifically mentions the Gaza conflict as a trigger for extremist messaging.
At the same time, tensions in the Middle East are raising concerns about additional threats.
The ongoing war with Iran has heightened fears of retaliation, including potential sleeper cell activity inside the United States.
Federal authorities have already begun investigating possible threats tied to Iranian retaliation.
Reports of encrypted communications and potential drone attacks have triggered alerts for law enforcement.
The FBI has warned officials in California about the possibility of drone-related strikes.
President Donald Trump confirmed that federal agencies are actively investigating the situation.
“It’s being investigated,” Trump said. “You have a lot of things happening.”
Trump also blamed past immigration policies for allowing potential threats into the country.
“A lot of people came in through Biden with his open border,” he said.
Despite the concerns, Trump said authorities are monitoring potential threats closely.
“We know where most of them are. We’ve got our eye on all of them,” he added.
The report underscores a major shift in how terrorism is evolving in the U.S.
Rather than large coordinated attacks, officials now see decentralized, smaller-scale incidents as the biggest risk.
These attacks are often harder to detect because they involve individuals acting independently.
Intelligence agencies say preventing these threats will require increased monitoring of online activity and early warning signs of radicalization.
As tensions abroad continue to rise, officials warn that the threat at home could grow more unpredictable.
The findings highlight the challenge facing law enforcement as they attempt to stop attacks before they happen.
With lone actors becoming the primary concern, the focus is now shifting toward identifying threats long before they turn into violence.
