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PoliticsUnited States of America

The Enemy Within - US Veterans Against Democracy

July 3, 2024

On 6 January 2021, hundreds of Donald Trump supporters stormed the Capitol in Washington. Five people were killed and many injured. Some 15 per cent of those involved were former members of the US military or police.

https://p.dw.com/p/4gxNF
The Enemy Within - US Veterans Against Democracy
Supporters of Donald Trump stormed the US Capitol in Washington on 6 January 2021.Image: Gebrüder Beetz

By storming the Capitol, hundreds of supporters of former US President Donald Trump aimed to prevent the Senate and House of Representatives from officially confirming Joe Biden’s victory in the 2020 presidential elections.

The Enemy Within - US Veterans Against Democracy
In a speech, Trump calls on his supporters to march towards the Capitol.Image: Gebrüder Beetz

Some 15 per cent of those involved were former members of the US military or police. This shocking statistic prompts an important question: Why are the very people who have sworn an oath to protect the nation’s democracy attacking it?

The Enemy Within - US Veterans Against Democracy
Image: Gebrüder Beetz

The US-American filmmaker Charlie Sadoff and his co-writer and producer Kenneth Harbaugh both used to be in the military, something that allowed them to delve deep into the veterans’ world. Through them, they gained access to violent rightwing extremist circles in America, including anti-government militias such as the Proud Boys, the Three Percenters and the Oath Keepers.

The Enemy Within - US Veterans Against Democracy
The Oath Keepers are a far-right, anti-government militia in the United States, described as an association of active and former members of the police, military, paramedics, firefighters and similar aid organisations.Image: Gebrüder Beetz

These groups - organized and led by well-educated, highly motivated military veterans - represent the greatest threat to democracy in the United States today. The documentary examines the complexity of this development, tracing it back to its historical roots. The smoke over the Capitol may have cleared, but the problem remains: US society remains deeply divided. The groups are still active and the next elections are imminent.

Broadcasting Hours: 

DW English

Part 1

FRI 12.07.2024 – 01:15 UTC
FRI 12.07.2024 – 04:15 UTC
SAT 13.07.2024 – 13:15 UTC
SUN 14.07.2024 – 19:15 UTC
MON 15.07.2024 – 09:15 UTC
MON 15.07.2024 – 16:15 UTC
MON 15.07.2024 – 21:15 UTC
WED 17.07.2024 – 12:15 UTC

Lagos UTC +1 | Cape Town UTC +2 | Nairobi UTC +3
Delhi UTC +5,5 I Bangkok UTC +7 | Hong Kong UTC +8
London UTC +1 | Berlin UTC +2 | Moscow UTC +3
San Francisco UTC -7 | Edmonton UTC -6 | New York UTC -4

Part 2

FRI 19.07.2024 – 01:15 UTC
FRI 19.07.2024 – 04:15 UTC
SAT 20.07.2024 – 13:15 UTC
SUN 21.07.2024 – 19:15 UTC
MON 22.07.2024 – 09:15 UTC
MON 22.07.2024 – 16:15 UTC
MON 22.07.2024 – 21:15 UTC
WED 24.07.2024 – 12:15 UTC

Lagos UTC +1 | Cape Town UTC +2 | Nairobi UTC +3
Delhi UTC +5,5 I Bangkok UTC +7 | Hong Kong UTC +8
London UTC +1 | Berlin UTC +2 | Moscow UTC +3
San Francisco UTC -7 | Edmonton UTC -6 | New York UTC -4