Former President Donald Trump has announced his intention to designate the decentralized activist group Antifa as a "major terrorist organization." This declaration, made via social media, immediately sparked heated debate and raises significant constitutional questions. Trump labeled Antifa a "SICK, DANGEROUS, RADICAL LEFT DISASTER" and indicated he would push for investigations into its funders. The move comes amidst ongoing political polarization and heightened concerns about domestic extremism. However, the practical implications of such a designation are unclear, given Antifa's decentralized nature and the lack of a formal domestic terrorism designation equivalent to the State Department's list of foreign terrorist organizations. The First Amendment's protection of free speech and association poses a significant hurdle to such a classification. Trump's previous administration, including then-FBI Director Christopher Wray, had previously noted that Antifa is more accurately described as an ideology than a hierarchical organization, a key criterion for terrorist designations. The announcement follows similar calls by Republican senators like Bill Cassidy and Ted Cruz, who have previously introduced resolutions to condemn Antifa's actions and label it a domestic terrorist organization. While some, like Senator Cassidy, lauded Trump's announcement, others criticize it as an infringement on free speech and an attempt to silence political dissent. The legal and practical challenges of implementing this designation are substantial and likely to face significant court battles. The timing of Trump's announcement, coming shortly after ABC cancelled Jimmy Kimmel's show, further fuels the already complex narrative surrounding political discourse and free speech in the current environment. Trump's celebration of the Kimmel cancellation adds another layer of complexity to the ongoing discussion about the media's role in the present political climate.
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Originally published at: https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/sep/17/trump-antifa-terrorist-organization
