Overview

• In September, Trump signed an order labeling Antifa a domestic terrorist organization and directing federal agencies to investigate, disrupt operations, and pursue its funding networks.
• At a White House town hall this week, he hinted at a potential foreign terrorist organization listing, which an NSC counterterrorism official said would unlock expanded sanctions and material‑support charges.
• Antifa is broadly characterized as a decentralized movement, and U.S. law traditionally confines foreign terrorist designations to non‑U.S. entities.
• Studies cited by the White House link Antifa‑affiliated actors to violent episodes at protests, while security analysts say prosecutions are more viable when focused on specific criminal acts.
• Trump’s stance has resonated in Europe, where the Dutch parliament backed a resolution, Hungary signaled support, and far‑right MEPs rallied colleagues to seek similar terrorist labels.