Rep. Anna Paulina Luna (R-Fla.) on Monday called for a formal investigation into the Patriot Front, a white nationalist organization, following its coordinated Independence Day march through Washington, D.C. Luna questioned why the group had not faced scrutiny under the Biden administration, suggesting a double standard in federal law enforcement priorities.
“What I find odd about Patriot Front is how under Biden they were never investigated. Well funded. Never investigated,” Luna wrote on X. She added, “FBI under Biden looked into Catholics instead. So, looks like @GOPoversight should do some digging.” Her remarks align with broader GOP criticism of the Justice Department’s focus on domestic extremism.
The group’s Saturday demonstration drew roughly 400 masked men, many carrying American flags upside down, marching in uniform through the capital. According to the Anti-Defamation League, Patriot Front is one of the most visible white supremacist groups in the U.S., known for its flash demonstrations and propaganda distribution.
Burgum Defends Free Speech, Avoids Condemnation
Interior Secretary Doug Burgum declined to condemn the group outright, instead emphasizing First Amendment protections. “Certainly what they stand for is nothing that I could possibly agree with, but one of the foundational principles of the United States, which makes democracy messy, is free speech,” Burgum told CNN’s Dana Bash on “State of the Union.” He stopped short of urging President Trump to denounce the organization.
Rep. Buddy Carter (R-Ga.) took a harder line, rebuking the group’s actions. “What I’ll say is that that is not the soul of America. Look, you know, we are all created equally,” Carter said. He added, “I would just not ignore it, but I don’t pay that much credence to it, because that does not represent the soul of America.”
Patriot Front’s Origins and Agenda
Patriot Front emerged in 2017 after the “Unite the Right” rally in Charlottesville, Virginia, founded by Thomas Rousseau. The group’s manifesto explicitly calls for a white ethnostate. Since 2019, it has distributed the vast majority of white supremacist propaganda in the U.S., according to the ADL.
Luna’s call for an investigation comes amid heightened attention on the group’s activities. For more on the group’s July 4 march, see our coverage of Patriot Front’s D.C. demonstration and counterprotests. The incident also intersects with debates over patriotism and dissent, as explored in Mamdani’s redefinition of patriotism as dissent.
Luna’s push reflects a growing partisan divide over how to address domestic extremism, with some Republicans accusing the FBI of targeting conservative Catholics while ignoring far-right groups. The Oversight Committee has not yet announced a formal probe.
