Outfit behind slanted ‘terrorism studies’ pleas for private donors after Trump funding cuts

A university research hub producing “terrorism” data is seeking private donations after the Trump administration gutted its federal funding over alleged political bias.

The University of Maryland’s National Consortium for the Study of Terrorism and Responses to Terrorism (START) says the federal government has revoked “virtually all grants and cooperative agreements” in an update to its website. The think tank, which boasts close ties to law enforcement, now asks donors to temporarily help sustain a “targeted violence” study that attributed the attempted assassination of President Donald Trump in Pennsylvania to “anti-immigration” ideology, among other questionable data points that the Daily Caller News Foundation previously reported.

For 20 years, START’s work has been foundational to understanding terrorism through open data, research, and education. Now, we’re entering a pivotal new chapter—and we need your support.

Read the letter from our Director: https://t.co/6fYCLcawaw pic.twitter.com/V0Punxmdct

— START Consortium (@START_UMD) May 7, 2025

“The Department of Homeland Security terminated funding for START due to its biased and misleading data practices,” a senior DHS official told the DCNF. “START’s so-called ‘Terrorism and Targeted Violence’ database falsely linked President Trump’s near-assassination to ‘anti-immigration’ views, ignored anti-Israel violence on campuses, and disproportionately focused on right-wing ideologies while downplaying left-wing extremism.”

START did not respond to a request for comment.

The official also pointed to a prior START study that put peaceful pro-life activists in a federally funded “radicalization” database alongside groups such as the Ku Klux Klan and Al Qaeda. In April 2024, START removed a “terrorist group” label for the pro-life organization Students for Life and axed the public-facing version of the database after the group threatened legal action.

“This slanted approach, including labeling pro-life groups as ‘terrorist,’ undermines national security and misled law enforcement,” the DHS official told the DCNF.

“START is now at a critical inflection point, perhaps the most precarious in our 20-year history,” START’s website tells potential donors. “Over the last several months, federal funding for research on terrorism and targeted violence, as well as other critical topics related to START’s mission, has been decimated.”

The consortium said millions of dollars comprising about 40% of its annual budget have been cut since mid-March.

START’s “Terrorism and Targeted Violence” database purported to show a comprehensive timeline of extremist violence in the U.S., the DCNF previously reported. The DCNF found that it labeled would-be Trump assassin Thomas Matthew Crooks as likely “antisemitic and anti-immigration” based on unverified FBI testimony without including the bureau’s evidence to the contrary. It also highlights incidents such as burning LGBTQ flags as “violence,” but does not include several cases of anti-Israel violence on college campuses, for example.

The DHS allocated more than $3.5 million to the project before the Trump administration withdrew the grant, federal spending records show. The department said in a June press release that it would “eliminate wasteful government spending,” including in the counterterrorism field.

“Unfortunately, given the loss of federal funding, the Terrorism and Targeted Violence (T2V) in the United States project must now transition to a subscription based model to sustain its operations,” START’s website says. “More information about subscription tiers and pricing are forthcoming, but in the meantime, we are eagerly asking donors to help us stabilize by contributing to an immediate infusion of funds, as we build out this business model and grow a paid subscriber base.”

Much of START’s most in-depth work places special emphasis on people or groups commonly seen as right-wing extremists, including Trump-supporting rioters and “QAnon” followers. National security experts have publicly criticized START’s work and questioned its accuracy since its “radicalization” study categorizing pro-lifers among extremists.

START, which the DHS established in 2005, said it “will continue to seek federal funding in areas where it is still available.”

“We welcome your partnership to help START weather this storm and build a stronger future,” the think tank said.

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