A U.S. military judge overseeing the Khalid Sheikh Mohammed 9/11 case, Lt. Col. Michael Schrama, wrote an essay in 2023 that attributes rising extremism in parts of the armed forces to what he describes as the military’s “conservative tendencies.” The comments have resurfaced in coverage connected to the judge’s handling of issues arising in the trial.
According to the reporting, Schrama’s essay discusses domestic extremism and argues that attitudes within military culture can contribute to conditions where extremist ideas spread. The outlet coverage frames the essay as relevant context for the judge’s views, but does not present evidence in the articles that the specific comments affect the legal merits of the 9/11 proceedings.
Across the sources provided, the emphasis is on the judge’s prior written remarks rather than on new developments in the trial itself. Differences in angle stem mainly from how outlets connect those remarks to the broader discussion of extremism and military culture, while sticking to the same central detail: Schrama links concerns about extremism to “conservative tendencies” in the services.
