Donald Trump announced early Thursday that he plans to designate antifa as a “major terrorist organization.” Antifa, short for “anti-fascists,” is an umbrella term for far-left activist groups that oppose fascists and neo-Nazis, particularly at demonstrations, rather than a single organized entity. The decentralized nature of antifa has raised questions about how the administration would enforce a domestic terrorist designation, and the White House did not provide immediate details.
The announcement came via a social media post while Trump was on a state visit to the UK, in which he described antifa as a “SICK, DANGEROUS, RADICAL LEFT DISASTER” and indicated he would recommend investigating funders of the movement. Unlike foreign terrorist organizations listed by the State Department, antifa is a domestic entity and cannot be added to that list. Currently, no equivalent domestic list exists, partly due to First Amendment protections for U.S.-based organizations, and no singular domestic terrorism statute is in place.
Trump previously stated that he would pursue a domestic terrorism designation for antifa if supported by Attorney General Pam Bondi and other cabinet members. Republican Senator Bill Cassidy praised Trump’s announcement, noting that antifa exploits legitimate grievances to promote violence. The idea of labeling antifa as a domestic terror organization was also raised by Trump in 2020 during the George Floyd protests, although former FBI Director Christopher Wray testified that antifa is an ideology, not a structured organization, complicating such a designation.
The announcement came shortly after ABC, under pressure from the FCC, indefinitely canceled Jimmy Kimmel’s late-night show following complaints over his comments on the killing of Charlie Kirk. Trump celebrated the network’s decision on social media, calling it “Great News for America” and highlighting the show’s ratings challenges. The cancellation reflects ongoing political tensions surrounding media commentary and partisan reactions in the U.S.
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