irma Jones

Since coming into office, Trump and his Republican allies have moved swiftly to enact their shared radical agenda-one that centers around a mass political upheaval of our democracy and institutions with the goal of authoritarian control.

In that context, Trump’s pardon of 1,500 January 6th insurrectionists and right-wing paramilitary leaders Enrico Tarrio and Stewart Rhodes have set free insurgents who posed the single largest threat to democracy in the U.S. since 1861. Their get-out jail-free card wasn’t just about Trump appeasing his voters. It set loose the shock troops to force the MAGA agenda on the country through extralegal means and solidify the GOP alliance with these extremists at every level of government.

These goals clearly present a danger to our society, especially vulnerable communities. Most susceptible are transgender people, a particular group in their cross-hairs. With the rise of anti-LGBTQ+ sentiment overall, and transphobia specifically, trans-Americans are an affinity point for these militia members and politicians, linking their shared goal of upheaval and anti-democratic destabilization. 

The sad truth is that the country has already entered into a new era of political instability made possible by violence. According to Reuters, politically motivated acts of force are at a level not seen since the 1970s, driven by those on the far right. The events of January 6th were a turning point in this dramatic rise, and Trump’s subsequent pardons of those extremists have given their actions new legitimacy, putting lives at risk. 

But we didn’t have to be this way. In fact, four years ago, after the public backlash and legal repercussions of January 6 became apparent, paramilitary groups were in a defensive crouch. The power of the national government forced them to reevaluate. 

Yet they didn’t remain cowed for long, adapting their strategy to keep their movement alive. These groups retreated from the national landscape and redirected their efforts to cities and towns. Proud Boys Founder Gavin McInnes told me this “go local” strategy suited the organization. 

A key galvanizing force for these more atomized efforts was a group of people they saw as vulnerable: queer and trans communities across the country. 

Between 2021 and 2024, we saw hospitals end gender-affirming care after waves of bomb threats, protests of libraries with LGBTQ+ books, and the harassment of queer people at Pride events. These events have reached such a fever pitch that the FBI issued its first-ever domestic terrorism threat assessment for the LGBTQ+ community last year.

The numbers underscore why. 

According to the Southern Poverty Law Center, there are now more hate groups on record than ever; in 2023 alone, nearly half of all the demonstrations of force by white power groups were organized to take aim at the LGBTQ+ community. But there is a particular part of the queer community singled out: drag entertainers, especially drag story hours. From June 2022 to May 2023, the Institute for Strategic Dialogue report recorded 203 incidents that targeted drag events across the U.S.

This upsurge in localized anti-LGBTQ+ violence did not occur in a vacuum.

Since 2021, there has been an explosion in anti-trans laws, with over half the states passing anti-trans legislation. 658 GOP-sponsored bills were introduced in 2024 alone, doubling 2023’s number, targeting trans kids and their families. 

The fact that the Republican Party has transformed itself into an anti-trans party means that the local actions by militia groups in the wake of January 6 have found receptive compatriots in communities across the country. 

As paramilitary groups targeted families attending drag storytimes, Republican lawmakers similarly targeted trans youth, solidifying a dangerous link between extremist violence and legislative oppression. What they both have in common is a shared ideology, part of the so-called “Great Replacement Theory,” which emphasizes the danger of gender fluidity to White Christian births. 

Though outside of the mainstream, one only needs to look at the deeply red state of Idaho to see how this alignment is a full-fledged alliance. Organizations such as the Idaho Freedom Foundation, the most influential Republican think tank in the state, have collaborated openly with paramilitary groups to shift the state’s politics to be more extreme. Highly-rated IFF politicians have used gatherings like pride events in Coeur d’Alene to call out members of militia groups like Patriot Front, with help from social media accounts like Libs of TikTok, to protest. These flashpoints serve to intimidate citizens who oppose their agenda and to galvanize others in support of radical policies, such as a bill to legalize paramilitary groups across the state. With only a few weeks into 2025, politicians in Idaho are now moving to roll back LGBTQ+ marriage. 

But this isn’t only about Idaho. 

The state serves as a sort of petri dish for this mix of paramilitary groups, politicians, and local organizations that cement anti-trans ideology and overall extremism across the state. We are already seeing similar trends in Tennessee, Florida, and Texas, to name a few. 

Trump’s campaign recognized the success of these on-the-ground shifts and saw an opportunity. That’s why they dropped nearly $250 million in anti-trans ads to devastating effect and harped on trans people at every turn. And it’s why, on the first day of his Administration, Trump targeted trans people with sweeping executive orders. Anti-trans ideology keeps Trump close to the voters whom he credits with giving him his margin of victory and with the extremist shock troops, as well as politicians vital to giving muscle to his agenda.

Added to this toxic mix is the fact that Trump’s FBI and Justice Department nominees are very likely to deprioritize combatting these groups, and the domestic terrorism threat that they pose – will likely only get worse.

The combination of pardons and political reassurances means that political violence in support of the Trump agenda is on the verge of surging – and it will be trans people who are targeted first. 

Imara Jones is the creator of TransLash Media, a platform dedicated to telling trans stories to uplift, empower, and save trans lives. Like and follow Imara on Instagram at @imara_jones_.

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