In the wake of the protests that occurred in 2020 after the murder of George Floyd, then-President Donald Trump escalated tensions in a very dangerous way. … and he designated Antifa a Major Terrorist Organization. This declaration occurred during a time of increased tensions regarding the threats of political violence in the U.S.
Trump made the announcement on his Truth Social platform, stating, “I am pleased to inform our many U.S.A. Patriots that I am designating ANTIFA, A SICK, DANGEROUS, RADICAL LEFT DISASTER, AS A MAJOR TERRORIST ORGANIZATION.” He attributed the violence accompanying the protests to “radical left wing political violence,” especially following the shooting of far-right commentator Charlie Kirk in Utah, which Trump condemned.
Experts have criticized this designation. In a recent quote, Heidi Beirich, co-founder of the Global Project Against Hate and Extremism, did just that. She argued that Trump’s declaration lacks any “legal or factual basis.” She highlighted that there is “no domestic terrorist organization list in the US,” making the president’s declaration legally questionable.
Antifa, which stands for “anti-fascist,” is known for its decentralized structure and lack of hierarchy, leading Beirich to assert that “Antifa’s lack of hierarchy or dues makes it hard to declare it a terrorist organization.” This lack of formal coordination leads to major implications for how such a designation would even be enforceable.
The former president’s executive order was notable because of what it might clearly allow law enforcement agencies to do. In reality, there’s no official list of domestic terrorist organizations. What Trump’s federal government should be doing, instead, is investigating people who identify themselves as part of Antifa. This tactic can lead to more arrests than under traditional criminal statutes.
In the lead-up to Trump’s announcement, Joe Biggs, a leader of the Proud Boys, made incendiary comments on social media, asking his followers, “Who’s ready to go ANTIFA hunting? Because I know a few guys.” Yet, this same statement sent shockwaves at the prospect of vigilante violence in response to Trump’s call to arms.
Critics have decried a double-standard in the former administration’s response to far-right extremists versus left-wing groups. Trump already pardoned several of the January 6 Capitol attack convicts with ties to extremist groups like the Proud Boys and Oath Keepers. This decision is in stark contradiction to his war-like approach against Antifa.
In his executive order, Trump characterized Antifa as “a militarist, anarchist enterprise that explicitly calls for the overthrow of the United States Government.” Yet no evidence has ever connected the suspected assassin of Charlie Kirk to Antifa. What’s more, there are no indications of any coordinated, concerted opposition by the gang.
“Unless new legislation is proposed or Trump comes up with some extra-legal mechanism that I can’t even imagine.” – Heidi Beirich