United States: President Donald Trump on Wednesday proclaimed that Antifa — a loose coalition of left-wing activists — will be formally labeled as a “major terrorist organization.”
In a fiery statement delivered through Truth Social, Trump denounced the group as “a sick, hazardous, radical-left catastrophe.” His words carried both warning and condemnation, signaling a new federal stance toward the often-shadowy network.
The president further declared that he will urge an uncompromising probe into those providing Antifa with financial lifelines, insisting that such inquiries follow “the strictest legal codes and judicial protocols.”
This move follows Trump’s earlier assurance that he would “100%” pursue such a designation. Addressing reporters inside the Oval Office earlier this week, he described Antifa activists as “professional instigators,” particularly in light of violent episodes tied to the administration’s clampdown on illegal border crossings, according to Fox News.
“Antifa is abhorrent,” Trump asserted. “What they stage are not demonstrations but orchestrated crimes. They’re hurling bricks at ICE and Border Patrol vehicles. They’re seasoned provocateurs. They deserve incarceration. Their subversive campaign is tearing at this nation’s core.”
Antifa, abbreviated from “anti-fascist,” lacks a formal hierarchy, membership rolls, or central leadership. Rather, it functions as a diffuse alliance of individuals who claim allegiance to combating fascism, racial supremacy, and hard-right extremism.
Yet, its adherents — typically clad in black attire with masks to obscure identity — have earned notoriety for deploying tactics such as doxxing, intimidation, and violent disruption.
The latest declaration arrives against the backdrop of political violence. Following the Sept. 10 assassination of Turning Point USA founder Charlie Kirk, Trump tied alleged shooter Tyler Robinson to radical far-left activism, as reported by Fox News.
Authorities revealed that bullet casings retrieved at the crime scene were etched with disturbing inscriptions: “Hey fascist! Catch!” and “Bella ciao bella ciao ciao,” a refrain from a World War II-era anti-fascist anthem popularized by Italy’s resistance fighters.
“We’re contending with an unhinged faction of extremists, sheer lunatics, and this menace will be eradicated,” Trump vowed before boarding Marine One on Sept. 11.
Still, the president urged Americans to honor Kirk’s memory without retaliation, noting that Kirk himself had long preached peaceful resistance and non-violent civic action.