On 22/9, US President Donald Trump signed an executive order empowering government agencies to investigate any activities carried out by Antifa or materially supported by its members.
The executive order designates Antifa as a "domestic terrorist organization," accusing the group of using "unlawful means to organize and carry out campaigns of riots and terrorism nationwide" to overthrow the government and law enforcement.
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US President Donald Trump speaks at the White House on 22/9. Photo: AP |
US President Donald Trump speaks at the White House on 22/9. Photo: AP
"Individuals associated with Antifa and acting in the name of the group also coordinate with other organizations and entities to spread, incite, and promote political violence and suppress legitimate political speech," the order stated. "This organized action, carried out to achieve policy goals through coercion and intimidation, constitutes domestic terrorism."
Antifa, short for "anti-fascist," is a "decentralized, leaderless movement comprised of individual groups, networks, and individuals" in the US, according to the Anti-Defamation League, which monitors extremist groups. "Some extremists who self-identify with Antifa have engaged in violence or vandalism at protests, but this behavior is not widespread," the organization stated.
This action follows Trump's pledge to take measures against left-wing organizations after the assassination of Charlie Kirk. Kirk, a prominent conservative activist and Trump ally, was assassinated on 10/9 while speaking at a university in Utah.
22-year-old Tyler Robinson was arrested and charged with murder in the case. Investigators are exploring motives and have not determined if the suspect acted with any group.
Current US law permits agencies like the FBI to investigate violent crimes by extremist groups. However, the US government typically does not label domestic groups as "terrorist organizations" due to constitutional protections of citizens' fundamental rights.
Trump's new executive order changes this. An anonymous Justice Department official said the order grants the government broader investigative and surveillance powers over Antifa, including monitoring the finances and travel of US citizens and investigating groups and non-profit organizations the Trump administration considers to be Antifa. The order also enables the government to demand transaction and funding source information from banks, both domestic and international.
Trump previously attempted to sign similar executive orders designating Antifa as a terrorist organization twice during his first term, but was unsuccessful. Republicans blamed Antifa activists for riots in several major cities following the police killing of George Floyd in 2020, and the term Antifa was subsequently applied more broadly to left-wing protesters across the US.
Legal experts question the legality and feasibility of this executive order, given Antifa's decentralized nature and lack of clear leadership structure.
Hong Hanh (The Hill/Reuters)
