U. S. Steps Back from Global Efforts Against Extremism

The United States has decided to leave a worldwide group focused on stopping violent extremism. This group, known as the Global Community Engagement and Resilience Fund (GCERF), helps communities at risk in many countries. The U. S. also quit 35 other international groups and 31 U. N. groups, saying they did not support its interests. Dr. Khalid Koser, who leads GCERF, was surprised by this move. He believes the U. S. is shifting its focus from preventing extremism to just fighting terrorism. This change is part of a bigger trend under President Trump's "America First" policy, which prioritizes U. S. interests over global cooperation. Koser pointed out that the risk of extremist violence is now higher than it has been since the 2011 Arab Spring. He mentioned places like Afghanistan, the Sahel region in Africa, and camps in Syria holding families of Islamic State members. Without prevention efforts, he warns, there could be more terrorists and problems in the future.The U. S. also left the Global Counterterrorism Forum, a group of 30 nations working together to fight terrorism. This decision shows a clear move away from working with other countries on these issues. The U. S. had helped start GCERF's program in northeast Syria, which helps families leave extremist groups. Losing the U. S. as a partner is a big deal, even though GCERF will keep working. Other international groups are also cutting back because of U. S. foreign aid cuts. GCERF now carries much of the responsibility alone, but its budget has not increased to match the growing needs. A recent report showed that the number of countries experiencing terrorist attacks increased from 58 to 66 in 2024, reversing years of progress.