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Trump Signs Order Labeling Antifa a Domestic Terrorist Organization

The step tests presidential authority given the absence of any U.S. process for labeling domestic groups as terrorist organizations.

Overview

  • President Trump signed an executive order directing federal agencies to investigate, disrupt and dismantle alleged Antifa operations and to pursue those who fund them.
  • Administration and Justice Department officials say the designation will be used to expand financial and surveillance probes, including subpoenas to trace domestic and foreign funding.
  • Legal scholars note there is no statutory mechanism to designate solely domestic groups and warn the move is likely to face constitutional and First Amendment challenges.
  • Antifa is widely described by law enforcement and experts as a decentralized ideology or loose network rather than a hierarchical organization, complicating enforcement.
  • Investigators have not presented evidence linking Antifa to Charlie Kirk’s killing, and the move has prompted international echoes, with Hungary backing a similar label and Dutch lawmakers urging recognition.