The FBI Should Go Back to the Basics

The Bureau should prioritize safeguarding state secrets over petty political battles 

The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) needs to focus on its main goal, which is protecting the country’s most sensitive information. Unfortunately, the government has recently failed to protect confidential assessments of Russia’s military, Egypt’s diplomacy, and South Korean politics from being exposed to the public. To make matters worse, the same government that fails to protect classified American state secrets has been dedicating far too much time to less important endeavors.

For instance, news recently surfaced of the FBI’s monitoring of “Involuntary Celibate Violent Extremism,” associating incels with conservative terms such as “red-pilled” and “based.” However, in the light of the recent leak of confidential Pentagon information, does the FBI need to concentrate on online behavior or focus on preventing larger security breaches?

The FBI’s recent investigative priorities reflect a broader trend of law enforcement using force against some citizens while treating others with kid gloves. This trend is evident by the flashy raids of pro-life activists while no significant arrests have been made for attacks on pregnancy crisis centers. Unfortunately, one of the reasons for this trend is that the FBI is not hiring its best and brightest employees. The organization would benefit from hiring the most intelligent, passionate individuals to protect sensitive materials and track down any criminals unlawfully exposing the materials.