Political Matters of the Nation |
President Donald Trump has announced plans to designate Antifa, an umbrella term for far-left-leaning militant groups that resist fascists and neo-Nazis, especially at demonstrations, as a "major terrorist organization." This announcement was made in 2020, during a state visit to the United Kingdom.
Trump's proposal, if implemented, would enable the Justice Department to prosecute those who give material support to Antifa, even if that support does not result in violence. The designation matters in part because it enables the Justice Department to prosecute those who give material support to entities on the list of foreign terror organizations, even if that support does not lead to violence.
However, it's unclear how the administration would label a decentralized movement like Antifa as a terrorist organization. The State Department's list of foreign terror organizations does not include any domestic entities due to broad First Amendment protections enjoyed by organizations operating within the United States.
Trump's former FBI director, Christopher Wray, stated that Antifa is an ideology, not an organization, lacking the hierarchical structure that would usually allow it to be designated as a terror group by the federal government.
Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, and Sen. Bill Cassidy, R-La., joined forces in introducing a resolution in the Senate in July 2019, to condemn the violent acts of Antifa and designate the group as a domestic terror organization. Sen. Cassidy praised Trump's announcement, citing their joint resolution.
Trump's announcement came at a time when the country was grappling with the George Floyd protests, and he raised the idea of designating Antifa as a terror organization then. Trump also said he will be "strongly recommending" that funders of Antifa be investigated.
Despite periodic calls, particularly after mass shootings by white supremacists, no specific U.S. senators are documented to have formally introduced a bill designating Antifa as a domestic terrorist organization in 2019. The initiative to classify Antifa as such was primarily announced by President Donald Trump himself.
Trump called Antifa a "SICK, DANGEROUS, RADICAL LEFT DISASTER." It remains to be seen how this proposal will unfold, and whether it will lead to a formal designation of Antifa as a terrorist organization. The White House did not immediately offer more details on this proposed designation.
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