Well, former President Donald Trump signed his own presidential memorandum. Chief among his goals to defeat what he has called a radical leftwing domestic “terror network.” The initiative, which is drawing widespread criticism, appears to target various episodes of political violence but lacks specific details on its implementation. Trump’s memorandum paves the way for a new federal initiative to punish individuals and groups that participate in protests. Specifically, it identifies billionaire financier George Soros as a key target in the fight against supposed leftist subversion.
The announcement comes on the heels of a string of high-profile incidents. Trump and his lackeys have already started linking these events to the threat of leftist violence. These include a foiled assassination attempt on Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh in 2022, the murder of UnitedHealthcare CEO in Manhattan last December, and two failed assassination attempts on Trump himself. The memorandum draws a connection to civil unrest that has taken place in cities such as Los Angeles and Portland, OR.
Stephen Miller, one of the most influential advisors, no doubt to describe this massive initiative as “historical and significant.” He claimed that it represents a major effort to address what he’s calling “terrorism on our homeland.” He touted the administration’s efforts to root out organizations that he links to this violence.
“It is terrorism on our soil. We are going to use the entire force of the federal government to uproot these organizations, root and branch,” – Stephen Miller
The memorandum describes antifa as a “domestic terrorist organization.” This latest move follows Trump’s criticism of the group going back years. He has characterized antifa as “anarchists and agitators” in the pay of billionaire liberal donors.
“These are anarchists and agitators, professional anarchists and agitators, and they get hired by wealthy people, some of whom I know,” – Donald Trump
Opponents have successfully argued that the long term effects of this memorandum are more damaging. Hina Shamsi, the director of the American Civil Liberties Union’s National Security Project, expressed her alarm. She worries that this effort might especially chill non-profits and activist groups. She described the federal action as a frightening new escalation directed at participants defending civil liberties.
“After one of the most harrowing weeks for our first amendment rights, the president is invoking political violence… as an excuse to target non-profits and activists with the false and stigmatizing label of ‘domestic terrorism’. This is a shameful and dangerous move,” – Hina Shamsi
Legal experts have weighed in on what the memorandum means. It shows—at least on the face of it—the administration’s intent, said Daniel Richman, a professor at Columbia Law School, about the initiative. He contends it probably holds no legal water. He pointed out that while new crimes can’t be established by executive order, they can call for more vigorous enforcement of existing ones.
“You can’t by executive order create new crimes. This does not create new crimes. This says you will use the Terrorism Task Force to go after things they would usually go after,” – Daniel Richman
Despite Trump’s framing of the issue, some critics argue that the focus on leftwing violence ignores broader societal concerns. Even one activist, Jason Charter, is vehemently against these kinds of measures. He believes designating antifa as terrorism not only demonizes them but it fails to recognize their ideological roots.
“Antifa is antifascism, and antifascism is a very widely shared thing, and being against fascism should not be illegal,” – Jason Charter
Trump’s memorandum comes on the heels of a violent attack on a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) facility in Dallas. The storming of the Capitol on January 6, 2021 has sparked remarkable debate over political violence in America. The former President and his allies have made the radical left the scapegoat of choice for these events. They’ve been able to successfully frame their agenda around the theme of national security.
“This is the first time in American history that there is an all-of-government effort to dismantle leftwing terrorism,” – Stephen Miller
Her assertion is a very telling indication of a change in attitude about political violence within federal law enforcement. Critics worry that this will lead to an expansion of surveillance and policing. They are concerned about its impact on people and groups who engage in nonviolent protest or lobbying activities.
As this situation unfolds, many observers remain cautious about how these policies will be enforced and who may ultimately be targeted under this new framework. We are left to wonder what the memorandum’s thinly veiled references to numerous hot-button issues really mean, and what long-term implications they may have on civil rights.