While on a state visit to the United Kingdom, President Donald Trump announced plans to designate Antifa as a terrorist organization. The announcement was made early Thursday morning (local time) via his Truth Social account, according to the Associated Press.
“I am pleased to inform our many USA Patriots that I am designating ANTIFA, A SICK, DANGEROUS, RADICAL LEFT DISASTER, AS A MAJOR TERRORIST ORGANIZATION,” Trump wrote. He added that he would also recommend a thorough investigation into individuals or groups funding Antifa “in accordance with the highest legal standards.”
However, the feasibility of such a designation remains uncertain. As Politico and other outlets have noted, Antifa is not a centralized organization but rather a loosely connected movement opposed to fascism and far-right extremism. That makes it difficult to classify under existing terrorism frameworks.
During a 2020 Congressional hearing, former FBI Director Christopher Wray described Antifa as “a movement or an ideology,” rather than an organized group. U.S. law currently does not provide a clear legal pathway for labeling domestic movements as terrorist organizations, largely due to First Amendment protections. Additionally, the State Department’s list of terrorist organizations applies only to foreign groups.
Trump had previously stated he would consider labeling Antifa a domestic terror organization, pending agreement from his cabinet and the Attorney General, according to Fox News. His renewed focus on Antifa follows recent political tensions, including the shooting involving conservative activist Charlie Kirk, after which some in Trump’s orbit have called for limiting criticism of right-wing figures.