President Donald Trump on Monday signed an executive order officially designating the left-wing movement known as antifa as a domestic terrorist organization.
The order follows Trump’s pledge to crack down on radical groups in the wake of the assassination of conservative activist Charlie Kirk on Sept. 10.
The White House described antifa as a “militarist, anarchist enterprise” that seeks the overthrow of the U.S. government and law enforcement.
According to the order, the group has organized riots, carried out violent assaults on federal officers, and threatened political figures through doxing and intimidation campaigns. The document states that antifa “uses illegal means to organize and execute a campaign of violence and terrorism nationwide” and recruits young Americans into its activities.
The order directs executive departments and agencies to investigate, disrupt, and dismantle antifa operations. It authorizes actions against individuals acting on behalf of the group and against those who provide funding or other material support. “This organized effort designed to achieve policy objectives by coercion and intimidation is domestic terrorism,” the order declares.
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said before the signing that Trump was delivering on a campaign promise. “We have seen a rise in violence perpetuated by antifa, radical people across this country who subscribe to this group,” she said. Leavitt added that the administration would be focusing on uncovering the sources of funding behind antifa and other violent left-wing groups.
Vice President J.D. Vance also said the administration will look at cutting off financial support for these groups. Republicans have long argued that antifa activists played a role in riots across major cities following the death of George Floyd in 2020.
Trump, in earlier remarks, said antifa had created a climate of violence that targeted conservatives and law enforcement. After Kirk’s killing, he pledged to track down not only those responsible for the crime but also the organizations that support and fund political violence
“For years, those on the radical left have compared wonderful Americans like Charlie to Nazis and the world’s worst mass murderers,” Trump said. “This kind of rhetoric is directly responsible for the terrorism that we’re seeing in our country today, and it must stop right now.”
The move is expected to raise legal questions. Antifa is widely considered a decentralized movement without a formal leadership structure, and experts say it is unclear what authority the president has to designate a domestic group as a terrorist organization. Legal challenges may follow as the administration begins implementation.
Even with those challenges, Trump’s action marks the most aggressive step yet by his administration to formally target antifa. It signals that federal agencies will treat the movement and its supporters as part of a nationwide threat to law and order.