Leaked membership list of Oath Keepers analysed

Who are the Oath Keepers?

Oath Keepers, founded in 2009, is an American far-right group grounded in an anti-government ideology.

During the January 6th riots, 26 of the individuals arrested were members of the Oath Keepers. The group has focused its recruitment on those who hold institutional power, such as law enforcement, those in government and military personnel.

Last week, the Anti-Defamation League (ADL) published analysis of the 38,000 names to identify those who hold positions of influence within the US.

The analysis identified:

• 81 individuals across the US who are currently holding positions or are running for public office in 2022.
• 373 individuals who are currently working in law enforcement agencies.
• 117 who are currently serving in the US military.

The significance

If individuals holding positions of societal influence have extremist viewpoints against the government, this can create an opportunity to use their power in a way to advance their ideology from the top down.

The presence of anti-government individuals within these institutions creates a security threat. These individuals tend to be exposed to sensitive information alongside firearms and equipment. Additionally, these institutions frequently involve specialised training, which could also be utilised in attacks against the government and/or public.

The US continues to witness a rise in far-right attacks, which is heightened by the normalisation of far-right ideology online and in public narratives.

If individuals holding extremist viewpoints are present in key institutions within the country, this is likely to feed into this issue - providing the opportunity to influence decision making from the top and also how they are implemented on the ground.