The Gardener Who Wants to Fight Terror - Trump's Newest Security Chief Is 22, Loves Patriotic T-Shirts, and Was Questioned by Police Over a Teenage Drama

Sometimes the White House writes stories that even Netflix would reject. One of them begins in Kentucky, passes through a patriotically decorated college campus, brushes up against a police report involving a pubescent jealousy drama - and ends in the heart of the United States Department of Homeland Security. There, in the once-respected “Center for Prevention Programs and Partnerships” - or CP3 for short - a young man named Thomas Fugate has been sitting in the director’s chair since June. Twenty-two years old, with a political resume akin to that of a college blog commenter, a past as an amateur gardener at Trump’s golf club, and a fondness for American flag shirts. A man, in other words, who not only wants to save America, but also knows how to fertilize chives.

But as Fugate sets out to lead the programs for counterterrorism prevention - an area once overseen by seasoned security experts with decades of experience - new reporting by the Daily Beast casts an unusually harsh light on his qualifications. Or rather: on his WhatsApp messages. Because just two years ago, Fugate was not the man to prevent extremism - but part of a very earthly drama in the style of “Beverly Hills, 90210.” A teenage love story, a jealous ex, and in the end: the police. According to the investigation file, the then 20-year-old is said to have sent a - let’s say - less than charming message to a 15-year-old romantic rival. The police reviewed the case but found no sufficient grounds for charges. A case for the archives - but not the kind usually found on the resume of a counterterrorism official.

Fugate’s defenders in Trump’s circle point to his “passion for America” and his “unbeatable patriotism.” Both can be verified - for example, through a TikTok video in which he appears wearing sunglasses, quoting the Bible, and holding the US flag as he explains why “the real terror comes from within.” Exactly who that terror is remains unclear - but one gets the sense: the man is serious. Even if his Wikipedia entry is still in the works. Critics, however, raise questions: What qualifies a 22-year-old with no background in security to take on a role meant for someone who analyzes neo-Nazi cells or Islamic extremist networks? Has CP3 - originally founded in 2011 under the Department of Homeland Security to prevent domestic radicalization - become nothing more than an acronym playground for Trump loyalists with youthful enthusiasm? A former employee of the center, who wishes to remain anonymous, puts it plainly: “We used to work with psychologists, sociologists, and law enforcement agencies. Now a kid with a selfie stick shows up and tries to teach us about radicalization.” Fugate himself remains calm. In a statement shared by his spokesperson via Instagram Stories, he said: “I’m young, but I love this country. And nobody understands Gen Z better than I do.” A sentence that likely doesn’t appear in the FBI Academy’s curriculum - but apparently it’s enough these days to earn the title “Director of Terrorism Prevention” in Trump’s America. One can only hope that the next major national security crisis doesn’t begin with a TikTok message - and end with a like from Thomas Fugate.