It should shake every red-blooded American to the core: the FBI has foiled a terrifying ISIS-inspired mass shooting plot aimed squarely at our brave men and women in uniform. FBI Director Kash Patel, appointed by President Trump precisely because he’s unafraid to confront threats head-on, delivered a fierce and necessary warning this week: “Anyone who targets our military or conspires with foreign terrorist organizations will be found, stopped, and prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.”
At the heart of this chilling story is Ammar Abdulmajid-Mohamed Said, a 19-year-old former Michigan Army National Guard member, who allegedly sought to wreak havoc at the Detroit Arsenal in Warren, Michigan—home to the U.S. Army’s Tank-Automotive & Armaments Command (TACOM). According to the FBI, Said meticulously planned his attack, providing undercover agents he believed were ISIS conspirators with armor-piercing ammunition, drone surveillance footage, tactical firearm training, and even instructions for making Molotov cocktails.
The planned assault was disturbingly detailed. Said is reported to have advised undercover operatives, “everyone have about seven magazines because you don’t want to be in there and run out of ammo.” The sheer audacity and cold-blooded calculation behind this foiled terror plot should send a clear and urgent message to policymakers in Washington: the threat from radical Islamist terrorism is far from over, and vigilance must never waver.
Under President Trump, America has regained its footing in confronting terrorism head-on, rejecting the weak-kneed appeasement policies of Biden and his allies. Trump’s America First approach—securing our borders, vetting immigrants thoroughly, and empowering law enforcement and intelligence communities—is precisely why plots like this are disrupted before innocent lives are lost. Director Patel’s swift and decisive action is a testament to the Trump administration’s unwavering commitment to national security.
The Justice Department has charged Said with attempting to provide material support to a foreign terrorist organization and distributing information related to destructive devices, with a potential sentence of up to 20 years per count. But beyond these charges lies a pressing question: how was an individual harboring such dangerous extremist ideology allowed into the ranks of our military in the first place?
Said enlisted in September 2022 and completed basic training at Fort Moore in Georgia before being discharged in December 2024. This unsettling timeline underscores the need for a thorough review of our military recruitment and vetting procedures. Our armed forces should never serve as a training ground for radicals who wish harm upon our nation and the very people sworn to defend it.
Director Patel rightly praised the diligent work of the FBI’s Joint Terrorism Task Force and its law enforcement partners, saying, “Our agents, intelligence teams, and partners acted quickly—and they saved lives.” Indeed, their heroic efforts deserve recognition. But Americans deserve more than praise after the fact; they deserve peace of mind.
The reality is stark: ISIS and its sympathizers remain active and dangerous, emboldened by Biden-era weakness that lingered long after he left office. As conservatives, we must continue to hold the line on border security, ensuring that dangerous individuals are never granted safe passage into our communities. The America First policies championed by President Trump—strict immigration controls, thorough vetting, support for law enforcement, and a strong military—are more vital than ever.
We cannot afford complacency or the illusion that terrorism has been defeated. The foiling of this Michigan plot should be a wake-up call to every American: our enemies are still plotting, still determined—but so are we. Under President Trump’s strong leadership and with courageous patriots like Kash Patel at the helm, America will remain safe, secure, and vigilant. Let us never forget that eternal vigilance is the price of liberty.
