Trump’s Antifa remarks have had an impact on American politics, as the president announced plans to designate the far-left anti-fascist movement as a “major terrorist organisation” amid rising tensions over domestic extremism.
The bold declaration, made via Truth Social early Thursday while Trump was on a state visit to the UK, comes just days after the shocking assassination of conservative activist Charlie Kirk, which officials blame on left-wing radicals.
The remarks escalated from comments Trump made in the Oval Office on Monday, where he expressed willingness to label Antifa as domestic terrorists if supported by his Cabinet and the Justice Department. “Antifa is terrible. “There are other groups,” he stated bluntly, channelling widespread anger over Kirk’s killing.
Kirk, a prominent Turning Point USA founder, was gunned down in what authorities describe as a targeted attack linked to far-left networks, prompting vows to crackdown on what the administration calls a “vast domestic terror movement.”
Antifa, short for anti-fascists, is not a centralised group but a loose ideology uniting activists opposed to fascism, white supremacy, and right-wing extremism.
Emerging from European punk scenes in the 1980s, it gained notoriety in the U.S. during 2020 protests against police brutality following George Floyd’s death. Supporters view it as a necessary bulwark against hate groups, while critics decry its tactics, like property damage and street clashes, as vigilante violence.
Trump’s latest salvo echoes unfulfilled promises from his first term, when Attorney General William Barr branded Antifa activities as “domestic terrorism”. Legal experts question the feasibility of the designation. Antifa lacks formal leadership, membership rolls, or hierarchy, making it tricky to target under U.S. law.
“It’s more of an ideology than an organisation,” former FBI Director Christopher Wray testified in 2020, a point reinforced in recent analyses. The president’s move could invoke tools like material support prosecutions, but it risks First Amendment challenges. Civil liberties groups, including the ACLU, warn that it might chill free speech and protest rights, labelling it an overreach amid polarised times. On Capitol Hill, reactions split along party lines.
House Republicans, led by Speaker Mike Johnson, praised the step during a memorial for Kirk in Statuary Hall. “It’s time to treat these radicals like the threats they are,” Johnson said.
Democrats, however, decried it as fearmongering. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer called the remarks “reckless rhetoric” that distracts from real issues like gun control and economic woes.
A new House resolution, H.Res.26, seeks to deem Antifa conduct as domestic terrorism and urges the Justice Department to prosecute accordingly, gaining traction among conservatives. The controversy ties into broader 2025 debates on extremism. Earlier this year, Antifa-linked activists ambushed an ICE facility in Texas, leading to arrests and heightened scrutiny.
Trump’s post also called for investigating Antifa funders, hinting at probes into progressive donors and nonprofits. Far-left voices on social media dismissed the label as authoritarian, with one organiser tweeting, “We’re fighting fascism, not creating it—Trump’s just scared of accountability.”
As Trump returns from Windsor Castle, where he reviewed the Guard of Honour, the White House signals swift action. Advisors are reportedly draughting executive orders, though details remain murky.
This isn’t just political theatre; it’s a flashpoint in America’s deepening divide. With midterm elections looming, Trump’s Antifa remarks could rally his base but alienate moderates wary of escalating crackdowns.
The saga portrays the challenges of policing ideologies in a democracy. While Antifa’s confrontational style fuels controversy, labelling it as a terrorist entity raises questions about who will be next.