President Donald Trump has announced plans to designate the anti-fascist movement Antifa as a terrorist organization.
Making the declaration on Truth Social in the early hours of Thursday morning UK time while on a state visit overseas, the president wrote: “I am pleased to inform our many U.S.A. Patriots that I am designating ANTIFA, A SICK, DANGEROUS, RADICAL LEFT DISASTER, AS A MAJOR TERRORIST ORGANIZATION.
"I will also be strongly recommending that those funding ANTIFA be thoroughly investigated in accordance with the highest legal standards and practices. Thank you for your attention to this matter!”
What is Antifa, and Are They Real?
Antifa, short for “anti-fascists,” is not a single organization but an umbrella term for far-left-leaning activist groups, often active at demonstrations against fascists and neo-Nazis.
The movement lacks centralized leadership or formal structure, making it unclear how such a designation could apply in practice.
A White House official told CNN: “This is just one of many actions the president will take to address left wing organizations that fuel political violence.”
While Trump has signaled this type of move before, there is no legal precedent for applying terrorism designations to domestic entities.
The current law allows groups like ISIS and al-Qaida to be listed as foreign terror organizations, enabling the Justice Department to prosecute supporters — but there is no domestic equivalent due to First Amendment protections.
Former FBI Director Christopher Wray previously testified that “antifa is an ideology, not an organization,” emphasizing its lack of hierarchy.
Trump and Allies Double Down
Earlier in the week, Trump hinted at the plan during remarks in the Oval Office after the assassination of conservative activist Charlie Kirk, per the Guardian.
Speaking to reporters, he said: “Antifa is terrible. There are other groups. We have some pretty radical groups, and they got away with murder.”
He also noted discussions with Attorney General Pam Bondi about using racketeering laws against alleged funders of left-wing agitators: “I’ve asked Pam to look into that in terms of RICO, bringing RICO cases. They should be put in jail, what they’re doing to this country is really subversive.”
Senator Bill Cassidy of Louisiana praised Trump’s new push: “Antifa seized upon a movement of legitimate grievances to promote violence and anarchy, working against justice for all. The President is right to recognize the destructive role of antifa by designating them domestic terrorists.”
Cassidy, along with Senator Ted Cruz, previously introduced a 2019 resolution condemning violent acts by Antifa.