President Donald Trump stated he’s designating far-left anti-fascism group Antifa as a terrorist organization, saying the transfer on his Truth Social platform within the early hours of Thursday morning UK time.
Trump — who’s abroad for a formal state go to — signaled the move earlier this week in remarks from the Oval Office following the homicide of conservative activist Charlie Kirk.
“I am pleased to inform our many U.S.A. Patriots that I am designating ANTIFA, A SICK, DANGEROUS, RADICAL LEFT DISASTER, AS A MAJOR TERRORIST ORGANIZATION,” Trump wrote Thursday. “I will also be strongly recommending that those funding ANTIFA be thoroughly investigated in accordance with the highest legal standards and practices. Thank you for your attention to this matter!”
It wasn’t instantly clear what mechanism Trump would use to make the designation, and Antifa lacks centralized construction or outlined management, making it unclear who or what exactly could be focused.
A number of administration officers have signaled within the wake of Kirk’s assassination that they’ll be concentrating on what they declare is a coordinated left-wing effort to incite violence. The strikes have drawn protests from some Democrats, who allege Trump is creating a pretext to crack down on dissent or opposing viewpoints.
This is a growing story and can be up to date.