US President Trump Designates Antifa Movement a 'Major Terrorist Organisation'
U.S. President Donald Trump announced he is designating the left-wing, anti-fascist Antifa movement as a "major terrorist organisation." The move follows the recent assassination of right-wing political activist Charlie Kirk. It is unclear how the U.S. administration will apply the designation to what is a decentralised movement rather than a structured organisation. Critics, including Trump's former FBI Director, have previously stated that Antifa is an ideology, not a formal group, posing legal challenges to such a classification.
Unpacked:
Antifa is a left-wing, anti-fascist movement in the U.S. composed of loosely connected autonomous groups and activists, not a centralized or hierarchical organization. Its structure is highly decentralized, making it difficult to define or target as a single entity.
U.S. law only allows the federal government to designate foreign organizations as terrorist groups. Since Antifa is domestic and lacks formal structure, legal experts argue that such a designation would be unconstitutional and raise First Amendment and due process issues.
Yes, there have been congressional resolutions and proposals calling for Antifa to be designated as a domestic terrorist organization. However, these have not resulted in formal legal designation or changes to U.S. law regarding domestic groups.
Efforts to label Antifa as a terrorist group gained prominence during the Trump administration, especially after violent protests and confrontations with right-wing groups. Officials cited increased activity and clashes, but also faced criticism for targeting a loosely defined movement rather than structured organizations.