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Ku Klux Klan leader claims support is rising ahead of US midterm elections
In a recent interview with Al Jazeera, Thomas Robb, leader of the faction formerly known as the Knights of the Ku Klux Klan, said the current political climate has created an environment in which more people are receptive to the group's message.
But Robb did not provide membership numbers or evidence to substantiate the claim that the group's support is increasing.
The KKK's Attempt to Rebrand
Robb's organization has attempted to soften its public image by dropping “Ku Klux Klan” from its name and operating as the Knights Party.
The group has also tried to emphasize themes such as family and faith rather than the violent imagery historically associated with the Klan.
But its underlying ideology remains explicitly white nationalist. When asked whether Black people would be welcome at the group's church, Robb told Al Jazeera that they would not because it is a “white nationalist church.”
The KKK has a long history of racist violence in the United States, dating to its founding after the Civil War. Its campaigns of intimidation, lynching and racial terror were aimed at suppressing Black Americans and maintaining white supremacy.
A Movement Struggling for Relevance
Despite Robb's claims, the KKK faces a very different landscape than it did during earlier periods of American history.
The movement is divided into numerous small factions, and its membership is difficult to measure. Robb himself acknowledged that people may be reluctant to formally join an organization carrying the Klan's name.
When pressed by Al Jazeera about whether his movement was actually growing, he declined to provide membership figures.
“Maybe we're wrong. Maybe everybody hates us. I don't know,” Robb said.
That admission highlights one of the central questions surrounding the KKK's relevance in 2026: whether increased visibility of white nationalist ideas necessarily translates into increased support for the Klan itself.
Younger Extremists Are Finding New Audiences Online
Experts say today's white supremacist movement extends far beyond traditional organizations such as the KKK.
Newer extremist groups and online communities can reach large audiences through social media without requiring followers to attend meetings or formally join an organization.
The Southern Poverty Law Center estimates that at least 152 white supremacist groups are currently active in the United States, illustrating how fragmented the broader movement has become.
Groups such as Patriot Front have also used highly visible demonstrations and online propaganda to attract attention, including a march in the Washington, D.C., area during the July 4 holiday.
How Much Influence Does the KKK Really Have?
The KKK's claim of growing support comes at a time when racial and immigration issues remain highly visible in American politics.
But that does not necessarily mean voters are turning toward the Klan.
Recent reporting on voters in Arkansas, where Robb's organization is based, found that many residents were more concerned with everyday issues such as the cost of living than with the racial politics promoted by white nationalist groups.
The distinction matters. White nationalist rhetoric may reach a larger audience online, while the traditional KKK remains relatively marginal.
A Hate Group Trying to Stay Relevant
As the midterm elections approach, the KKK is attempting to present itself as part of a broader political shift in the United States.
But its own leader's reluctance to provide evidence of growing membership underscores the uncertainty surrounding that claim.
What appears clearer is that white supremacist ideology has not disappeared. Instead, much of it has migrated into newer organizations and online spaces that can reach audiences far larger than the traditional Klan.
For the KKK, the question may be less about whether its name is becoming popular again and more about whether it can remain relevant in a movement that is increasingly operating without it.
Source: Al Jazeera
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