Source: International Business Times
A 22-year-old loyalist to President Donald Trump with no counterterrorism experience is now leading the Department of Homeland Security's (DHS) top terrorism prevention office, drawing scrutiny over his past conduct and the administration's alleged sidelining of national security. Thomas Fugate, a recent college graduate and former Trump campaign volunteer, was appointed earlier this year to run the DHS Center for Prevention Programs and Partnerships (CP3), which oversees an $18 million grant program meant to combat extremist violence, ProPublica reported in June. Fugate's rapid rise, from grocery store worker to overseeing national security strategy, has alarmed many in the intelligence and counterterrorism world.