Sources have indicated that the program known as "Countering Violent Extremism," or CVE, may be renamed to "Countering Islamic Extremism" or "Countering Radical Islamic Extremism." This change would align with President Trump's campaign rhetoric and criticism of former President Obama for not using the term "radical Islam." The program currently aims to prevent attacks through community partnerships and education, but some are concerned that rebranding it could hinder cooperation with Muslims who are already wary of the new administration. The CVE program, which targets US residents and is separate from a military effort to combat online extremism, has been criticized for inefficiency, even by some of its supporters. According to a source familiar with the Department of Homeland Security's work on the program, members of Trump's transition team met with a CVE task force in December to discuss changing the program's name and focus. During a recent meeting attended by senior staff for DHS Secretary John Kelly, government employees were asked to justify why certain community organizations were chosen to receive CVE program grants. Despite Congress appropriating funding for CVE and grant recipients being notified during the Obama administration, the money may still not be disbursed as Kelly is reviewing the situation. The department declined to comment on the matter. The White House did not provide a response to a request for comment regarding the criticized program. Some Republicans in Congress have been critical of the program, labeling it as politically correct and ineffective. They argue that using the term "radical Islam" to identify potential threats would be more effective in deterring attacks. On the other hand, opponents of this approach believe that associating the problem with "radical Islam" could alienate peaceful Muslims in the country. Additionally, community groups have expressed concerns about the program potentially being used for surveillance by law enforcement. Hoda Hawa, director of policy for the Muslim Public Affairs Council, stated that there are discussions within the Department of Homeland Security to shift the focus of the program from addressing all forms of violent ideology to specifically targeting Islamist extremism. She expressed concern that they are targeting a specific religious group and subjecting it to suspicion. A DHS official informed a source last week that a name change was imminent. Three other sources, who asked to remain anonymous, mentioned that such plans had been talked about but could not confirm if they had been approved. During the Obama administration, efforts were made to build relationships with community organizations to involve them in counterterrorism initiatives. In 2016, Congress allocated $10 million for CVE efforts, with DHS granting the first round of funds on Jan. 13, just before Trump took office. Approved entities included local governments, city police departments, universities, and non-profit organizations. Grants were also given to organizations focused on countering Islamic State recruitment in the United States, as well as to Life After Hate, which works to rehabilitate former neo-Nazis and other domestic extremists. Recent incidents, such as a white supremacist's attack on an African-American church in Charleston and shootings and bombings by Islamist militants in California, Florida, and New York, have highlighted the role of radical ideologies as motives for violence. One grant recipient, Leaders Advancing & Helping Communities, a Michigan-based group led by Lebanese-Americans, declined a $500,000 DHS grant they had applied for. The group confirmed the rejection in an email seen by Reuters, but did not provide further comment. The email, sent last Thursday, stated that LAHC has decided to decline the award due to the current political environment and reasons for worry. This decision was made before Trump's immigration order, which was criticized for discriminating against Muslims, was issued. The White House stated that the order was intended to protect Americans from terrorist attacks by foreign nationals.