>Under a review launched by Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, Defense Department officials are reexamining rules governing troops’ affiliations with anti-government and white supremacist movements, ties that currently are permissible in limited circumstances.
>Officials reviewing military rules on extremism, which do not reflect the amorphous, largely online nature of today’s far right, also are considering a move that would ban “mere membership” in such groups.
>Some activists argue that the prohibitions should be more sweeping because, in their view, even interactions with extremists in an online forum, for example, constitute active participation in a potentially violent movement.
>“It’s not so much their opinion; it’s them being involved with other extremists,” said Mark Pitcavage, an expert on domestic extremism at ADL, which tracks hate groups.