Topline
President Donald Trump signed an executive order Monday designating antifa as a domestic terrorist organization, following up on a statement made last week after Charlie Kirk’s assassination in which he said his administration would investigate funding behind the movement.
The executive order was signed Monday. (Photo by Axel Heimken/picture alliance via Getty Images)
dpa/picture alliance via Getty Images
Key Facts
The order characterized antifa, a decentralized and seemingly leaderless anti-fascist political movement, as a “militarist, anarchist enterprise that explicitly calls for the overthrow of the United States Government, law enforcement authorities, and our system of law.”
The order also calls for “investigatory and prosecutorial actions against those who fund” antifa operations.
Trump said he would designate antifa as a terrorist organization during the 2020 George Floyd protests but never formally did so.
Former FBI Director Chistopher Wray said in 2020 antifa was a “real thing” and noted the FBI conducted “investigations into what we would describe as violent anarchist extremists” that included people who identify with antifa.
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said Monday “we have seen a rise in violence perpetuated by antifa radical people across this country who subscribe to this group” though she did not elaborate on her claim.
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Key Background
As a domestic entity, antifa cannot be included on the State Department’s list of terrorist organizations, which include foreign entities like al-Qaida, the Islamic State and the Sinaloa Cartel. A domestic terror group list does not exist due to First Amendment protections that shield organizations within the U.S. The Anti-Defamation League says antifa is a “decentralized, leaderless movement composed of loose collections of groups, networks and individuals.”
Further Reading
Trump Says He Is Designating Antifa As A ‘Major Terrorist Organization’ (Forbes)