As the 2024 presidential election heats up, far-right extremists are intensifying their efforts, including a prominent neo-Nazi group, “The Base,” which aims to reignite its activities in support of Donald Trump’s bid for the White House.
Rinaldo Nazzaro, the 51-year-old founder of The Base, is seeking a U.S.-based leader for his organization, offering a salary of up to $1,200 a month. Nazzaro, currently based in Russia and under FBI investigation, has not been in the U.S. for years. With growing concerns about Russian support for far-right groups, his move is raising alarms.
The Base, known for its accelerationist ideology that promotes societal collapse through terrorism, was the target of raids by the FBI after an investigation uncovered their plans to start a race war leading up to the 2020 presidential election campaign.
Now, Nazzaro is looking for a U.S. leader with skills in fieldcraft, survival, and small unit tactics. The ideal candidate would have a clean record and preferably prior military experience. The position involves recruiting and managing a small team, organizing training, and planning operations.
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“As the team leader, your responsibilities will include recruiting, vetting, and retaining a 6-man (or possibly 12-man) A-Team; organizing, conducting, and documenting team training sessions at least once per month,” Nazzaro wrote on his personal Telegram account, according to The Guardian.
Nazzaro’s funding strategy includes personal finances and cryptocurrency donations. He has recently bought land in Republic, Washington, which he plans to use as a training ground. His job listing specifies that the leader should be located near this site and will manage stipends and operational logistics.
The Base’s activities have drawn attention from counterterrorism experts. Joshua Fisher-Birch of the Counter Extremism Project notes that the group is maintaining a low profile but may escalate violence or intimidation tactics as the election nears. The group’s previous actions include plotting mass shootings and assassinations, leading to its designation as a terrorist organization by several countries, including the EU.
Despite significant setbacks from arrests and infiltrations, The Base remains active. Recent posts show members in tactical gear, and the group continues to recruit internationally, with recent activity reported in several European countries.
Nazzaro, who is married to a Russian national and lives in St. Petersburg, has been accused of being a Russian intelligence asset, though he denies these claims. The timing of his latest recruitment effort, amid increasing concerns about foreign interference in U.S. elections, has sparked further scrutiny.
Lucas Webber of the Soufan Center highlights that while Nazzaro’s exact links to Russian intelligence remain unclear, his actions and the timing of his recruitment efforts align with broader patterns of foreign destabilization tactics.
