22-Year-Old Ex-Gardener Appointed by Trump to US Terror Prevention Role

A 22-year-old former gardener and grocery store worker has been tapped for a leadership role in U.S. counterterrorism efforts under the Trump administration.

In a move that has drawn national attention, the Trump administration has appointed a young and relatively unknown figure to a key counterterrorism post. The appointee, who previously had ties to President Trump's 2025 re-election campaign, now finds himself at the center of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS).

Trump has reportedly selected Thomas Fugate, 22, to oversee the Center for Prevention Programs and Partnerships (CP3) within the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). CP3 is the agency's office tasked with preventing domestic terrorism through community-based initiatives and early intervention strategies.

Fugate, who was employed as a neighborhood gardener five years ago and worked in a grocery store as recently as August 2023, graduated from the University of Texas at San Antonio in 2024.

Fugate served as an advance team member for Trump's 2024 presidential campaign. A report noted that he was hired in February 2025 as a "special assistant" in an immigration suboffice at DHS, and was later elevated to the CP3 role following the resignation of its previous director.

"Tom Fugate has performed well in his current role as a Confidential Assistant in our Immigration & Border Security suboffice," a senior DHS official told The Daily Beast. "Due to his success, he has been temporarily given additional leadership responsibilities in the Center for Prevention Programs and Partnerships office (CP3). This is a credit to his work ethic and success on the job."

Fugate has not publicly commented on his new responsibilities. It remains unclear whether his appointment is permanent or interim.