US President Donald Trump has renewed his vow to designate “Antifa” a shorthand for anti-fascist groups as “a major terrorist organisation,” a move he initially threatened during his first term.
For years, Trump has blamed Antifa for violence against police and for the January 6, 2021 attack on the US Capitol, which sought to block Joe Biden’s presidential election victory.
“I will also be strongly recommending that those funding ANTIFA be thoroughly investigated in accordance with the highest legal standards and practices,” Trump wrote Wednesday on Truth Social, calling Antifa “A SICK, DANGEROUS, RADICAL LEFT DISASTER.”
Antifa has no central leadership or national organisation and appears to be composed of independent, like-minded groups and individuals, according to a 2020 Congressional Research Service analysis. The White House has not provided details on how the designation would be applied, and the United States currently has no list of designated “domestic terrorist organisations.”
Trump’s announcement followed a Monday statement by senior White House official Stephen Miller, who vowed to dismantle what he described as a “vast domestic terror movement” connected to the killing of right-wing activist Charlie Kirk.
Critics warn that labeling Antifa as a terrorist organisation could be used to suppress dissent and target political opponents. Antifa’s members, often dressed in black and wearing masks, have historically confronted far-right groups and participated in civil disobedience, arguing that violent tactics are sometimes necessary for self-defense.
“Antifa is a movement or an ideology, not a structured organisation,” FBI Director Chris Wray told Congress in 2020, responding to Trump’s previous threats to classify the group alongside al-Qaeda and ISIS.
Antifa has been involved in major protests, including counter-demonstrations against racist rallies in Charlottesville, Virginia, and demonstrations during Trump’s inauguration in January 2017.
