Trump Designates Antifascist Movement as Terrorist Organization in the U.S.

U.S. President Donald Trump announced Wednesday the designation of the antifascist movement Antifa as a “major terrorist organization,” describing it as a “dangerous and sick radical left disaster.”

Trump stated on his Truth Social account that he will also recommend investigating those who finance Antifa “in accordance with the highest legal standards.” The measure comes in the wake of the September 10 assassination of conservative activist Charlie Kirk.

The president, currently on an official trip to the United Kingdom, added that his decision aims to protect citizens and stressed that any violent actions attributed to Antifa will be dealt with “to the full extent of the law.”

In his post, the Republican did not clarify which mechanism he would employ to carry out the designation, given that Antifa is a highly decentralized network in the United States, comprising activists who identify as anarchists, anticapitalists, or communists, and lacking defined leadership—leaving uncertain who or what exactly would be targeted.

The U.S. president has repeatedly accused this network of inciting violence, including the unrest that followed the death of George Floyd in 2020 during his first term. He had previously expressed a desire to label it a terrorist group on several occasions, although experts and officials have emphasized the legal difficulties of sanctioning such a diffuse collective.

Since September 10, the day Kirk was killed in Utah, Trump has publicly blamed the “radical left” for the country’s ongoing political violence.

Several employees of companies and universities in the United States have been dismissed or disciplined for comments deemed inappropriate regarding Kirk’s killing. Among them are staff members at Nasdaq, law firm Perkins Coie, and a student at Texas State University who was expelled after imitating the murder during a vigil.

Republicans have also sought to sanction and remove Democratic representatives who have been critical of the role and statements of the far-right activist, who was known for his online programs and for publicly confronting liberal-leaning students on university campuses.