Overview

• President Trump signaled an Antifa foreign terrorist designation is "pretty close," telling Secretary of State Marco Rubio, "We’ll take care of it," during a White House town hall this week.
• NSC counterterrorism official Sebastian Gorka said an FTO label would open a "panoply of tools" controlled by Treasury and State, including actions against individuals who provide aid, training, or financing.
• An FTO designation functions as a ban by making it unlawful to knowingly provide material support to the listed entity and enabling sanctions and asset freezes.
• Coverage notes Antifa is widely described as a decentralized, domestic movement, and experts say U.S. law limits the FTO list to foreign groups, casting doubt on the feasibility of such a designation.
• In September, Trump signed an order labeling Antifa a domestic terrorist organization and directing federal agencies to investigate, disrupt, and dismantle alleged illegal operations tied to the movement.