WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump said early Thursday that he plans to designate antifa as a "major terrorist organization." Antifa, shorthand for "anti-fascists," is not a single entity but an umbrella label for far-left groups that confront fascists and neo-Nazis at demonstrations. It’s unclear how the administration would label what is effectively a decentralized movement as a terrorist organization, and the White House on Wednesday did not immediately offer more details.
Trump, who is on a state visit to the United Kingdom, disclosed the plan in a social media post shortly before 1:30 a.m. local time. He called antifa a "SICK, DANGEROUS, RADICAL LEFT DISASTER" and said he would be "strongly recommending" that funders of antifa be investigated. The White House did not immediately provide additional details on how a designation might be implemented or enforced, and there was no immediate comment from other officials about the path ahead.
The move underscores a long-running debate about how to classify a decentralized protest movement that operates without a single leadership structure. In 2020, FBI Director Christopher Wray testified that antifa is an ideology, not an organization, lacking the hierarchical framework that typically enables a formal designation as a terrorist group under federal law. Some lawmakers welcomed the rhetoric as a recognition of violence associated with the movement, while others cautioned that a designation would require a clear legal framework and could be difficult to implement given antifa's diffuse network.
Sen. Bill Cassidy, R-La., praised the plan, saying the move would recognize that antifa has "seized upon a movement of legitimate grievances to promote violence and anarchy." He added that the president is right to recognize the destructive role of antifa by designating them domestic terrorists. In 2019 Cassidy, along with Sen. Ted Cruz, introduced a resolution condemning violent acts by antifa and calling for designation as a domestic terror organization.