President Donald Trump has announced plans to designate the anti-fascist movement known as Antifa as a major terrorist organization, echoing a promise from five years ago during nationwide protests following the murder of George Floyd.
This decision comes in the immediate aftermath of the assassination of prominent conservative influencer Charlie Kirk, with Trump signaling a broader crackdown on left-wing groups.
In a post on Truth Social, Trump stated that he was "designating" the movement as a terrorist organization and would recommend thorough investigations into those funding it "in accordance with the highest legal standards and practices."
The announcement has sparked debates about its legal implications, as Antifa lacks a formal structure that could easily be targeted under traditional terrorism laws.
Antifa, short for anti-fascist, operates as a decentralized movement rather than a unified organization with leaders or a command hierarchy.
It encompasses various factions of left-leaning activists, often anarchists, who appear at protests against police actions or government policies, dressed in black clothing and masks to hide their identities.
The movement traces its origins to European anti-fascist efforts opposing figures like Benito Mussolini during World War II and later countering white supremacist groups during the Cold War, before gaining traction in the United States.
Its visibility surged after Trump's 2017 inauguration, with incidents of rioting and arson in Washington, DC, and escalated confrontations in Charlottesville, Virginia, where left-wing and right-wing groups clashed in street brawls.
Particularly active in Pacific Northwest cities like Seattle and Portland, Antifa groups maintain small sizes to avoid infiltration by law enforcement or rival factions.
While associated with violence, including attacks on journalists and bystanders at protests, former FBI Director Christopher Wray described it as an ideology rather than an organization during the 2020 unrest.
Ideologically, it promotes a spectrum of far-left views, including wealth redistribution, and rejects mainstream electoral politics, setting it apart from typical Democratic positions.
The vagueness of Trump's plan raises concerns that it could serve as a tool to suppress large-scale left-wing dissent, especially following Kirk's killing, for which no ties to Antifa or other groups have been established in the case against suspect Tyler Robinson.
Utah prosecutors have charged the 22-year-old Robinson, but details on his motives remain unclear, with no evidence linking him to external organizations.
Trump and allies, including Vice President JD Vance, have attributed the assassination to an atmosphere of left-wing radicalization, with Vance telling Fox News that funding networks for such violence would be treated like terrorist operations.
The White House is also drafting an executive order addressing political violence and hate speech, according to administration officials.
Critics argue this represents a pretext for targeting political opponents, similar to Trump's earlier uses of the terrorist label against groups like Venezuela's Tren de Aragua drug cartel.
This follows Trump's 2020 suggestion to label Antifa amid Floyd protests, though the mechanics of enforcement remain unclear, particularly given First Amendment protections for domestic movements.
Trump has also called for charges against activists from Code Pink who protested him at a Washington, DC, restaurant, highlighting a pattern of aggressive responses to dissent.
As the administration provides few details, the designation's impact on free speech and protest rights continues to be a point of contention.