What's fuelling the rise of white supremacists and why does America find it hard to call them terrorists?

Charleston. Charlottesville. Pittsburgh. El Paso.

The US cities are now tragically synonymous with destruction, hatred, bloodshed and murder following shocking attacks in the past few years.

The increasing number of attacks by Americans on Americans have a strategic motivation behind them: to terrorise minorities and embolden white nationalists.

El Paso suspect Patrick Crusius faces capital murder charges after the recent attack in a Walmart near the Mexican border, which saw 22 people killed.

US police said El Paso suspect Patrick Crusius told detectives he was targeting Mexicans. Credit: FBI via AP

Authorities say the suspected shooter posted a document filled with white supremacist language on a far-right web chat forum minutes before opening fire on shoppers on August 3.

This summer the FBI announced the rate of domestic terrorism-related arrests is rising in 2019 and confirmed the largest single group of extremists held were white supremacists.

And yet many Americans - including US President Donald Trump - still refuse to call those who commit the deadly attacks terrorists.

So what is causing the rise in white supremacists and why is it so hard to categorise them as terrorists?

Natalia Jorquera explains in the video above.