Rep. August Pfluger, chairman of the House Homeland Security Subcommittee on Counterterrorism and Intelligence, said in an opinion piece that terrorist threats to the United States have grown more technologically sophisticated since the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks and called for new oversight of artificial intelligence and encrypted messaging platforms.
Pfluger, a Republican from Texas and a former Air Force fighter pilot, said the country faces "a quiet war" in which groups such as ISIS, al Qaeda, Hamas and Hezbollah are exploiting digital tools to recruit, radicalize and plan attacks. He proposed two bills that would require the Department of Homeland Security to deliver annual assessments on specific technological threats posed by terrorist groups.
In the Fox News opinion piece, Pfluger said his "Generative AI Terrorism Risk Assessment Act" would require DHS to assess annually how terrorist groups are using AI to spread propaganda, recruit followers and plan attacks. He said his "Countering Online Radicalization and Terrorism Act" would direct DHS to assess risks created by foreign, cloud-based mobile and desktop messaging applications.
Pfluger cited department and enforcement figures in arguing that border vulnerabilities have increased national security risks. He said that between April 2021 and January 2025 there were more than 50 "jihadist terror cases" reported across 30 states and that Customs and Border Protection recorded nearly 400 encounters with individuals on terror watchlists during the same period. He attributed some recent actions to the Biden administration's border policies and praised measures taken since President Donald Trump returned to office, saying they have focused on identifying and deporting people with suspected terror ties.
The congressman also pointed to recent policy shifts and funding decisions as evidence of a sharper counterterrorism posture. Pfluger said the administration rescinded limits on counterterrorism strikes imposed under the previous president, returning more decision-making authority to commanders in the field, and he cited a recently enacted budget reconciliation package that he said allocates $5.91 billion for layered homeland defense systems and $46 billion to complete the border wall. He credited the administration with the elimination of 272 jihadist terrorists around the globe since Jan. 20, a figure he attributed to recent policy changes.
Pfluger framed the proposed legislation as a way to keep pace with how extremist groups have adapted. He warned that encrypted messaging apps such as Telegram have become tools for communication and coordination and that artificial intelligence can be used to amplify propaganda and identify potential lone-actor targets. "Our system is blinking red," he wrote, urging congressional action to force regular threat assessments.
Lawmakers, homeland security officials and civil liberties experts have debated how to balance privacy and encryption concerns with the need for effective monitoring of online activity. Pfluger said his bills would focus on requiring DHS to assess and report on risks rather than mandating particular intelligence or surveillance methods.
DHS, CBP and the offices of other relevant agencies did not provide immediate public comment on Pfluger's op-ed. His proposals would require congressional consideration and committee action before any new reporting requirements or resources were enacted.
The op-ed ties Pfluger's personal experience to his policy stance. He recounted being in pilot training on Sept. 11, 2001, later serving as an F-22 pilot in combat missions against ISIS in Iraq and Syria, and said those experiences shape his view that the United States must remain vigilant against evolving threats.
Experts in counterterrorism have for years documented a shift toward decentralized operations, online recruitment and the use of encrypted platforms by extremist networks. Government efforts to track and counter online radicalization have included interagency working groups, partnerships with technology companies and grants for community-based prevention programs; proposals to legislate new reporting or assessment requirements would add another layer to that work.
Pfluger's op-ed underscores a recurring bipartisan pressure point in U.S. national security debates: how to adapt intelligence and law enforcement tools to changing technology while safeguarding civil liberties. Any legislation that moves forward would likely prompt hearings that examine technical feasibility, resource needs and legal constraints tied to privacy and free speech.
The article appeared on Fox News and reflects views expressed by Pfluger in that outlet. The bills he described would require formal introduction and approval by the House and Senate before becoming law.