Experts fear pro-Trump paramilitary groups may ‘become active’ as midterms draw near
Far-right paramilitary groups like the Oath Keepers and Proud Boys have all but “disappeared” from public view following the Jan. 6 Capitol riot, but experts fear that such groups may see a resurgence as the 2026 midterms draw close, Zeteo reported Saturday.
“What kinds of actions are going to be taken to potentially intimidate voters?” said Peter Simi, a Chapman University professor who studies extremist groups, speaking with Zeteo about his concerns over the 2026 midterms and potential voter intimidation from right-wing groups.
“I do think the extra-institutional presence of the far-right has to be a concern, and that could be mobilized and tapped into.”
Far-right paramilitary groups played a significant role in the Jan. 6 Capitol riot; Oath Keeper leaders were indicted on seditious conspiracy charges for planning the attack, as were leaders of the Proud Boys. Members of the far-right group the Three Percenters were also indicted for participating in the riot.
But since the Jan. 6 Capitol riot, such groups have been largely absent from the public eye.
“I think that the actual organization pretty much disappeared after Jan. 6,” said University of Albany assistant professor Sam Jackson, speaking with Zeteo about the Oath Keepers.
“There were a couple of state chapters that continued to exist after Jan. 6, but they all tried to distance themselves from the national organization.”
The far-right group’s absence, however, appears to be because President Donald Trump is “doing exactly what they want,” Zeteo reporter Thor Benson argued, something that may change as the midterm elections draw close.
“That said, it’s still quite possible they will again become active in the not-too-distant future when they feel the time is right – and that could happen sooner than later, as it’s becoming increasingly clear that Trump and Republicans are worried about losing many seats in Congress in next year’s midterm elections,” Benson wrote.
And, with Trump having issued full pardons to leaders and members of far-right paramilitary groups such as Enrique Tarrio – former Proud Boys leader who was convicted of seditious conspiracy for his role in the Jan. 6 Capitol riot – Simi worries that such groups may see weak on non-existent pushback from the administration were they to make a resurgence next year.
“We have someone in the White House who’s actually putting people from the far-right in various positions of power in the administration,” Simi told Zeteo.
“We’ve got a far-right leader who’s head of the FBI and people in various posts in the administration that have clear affiliations or adherence to different strains of far-right extremism.”