WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump stated early Thursday that he plans to designate antifa as a “main terrorist group.”
Antifa, brief for brief for “anti-fascists,” is an umbrella time period for far-left-leaning militant teams and isn’t a singular entity. They include teams that resist fascists and neo-Nazis, particularly at demonstrations.
It’s unclear how the administration would label what’s successfully a decentralized motion as a terrorist group, and the White Home on Wednesday didn’t instantly supply extra particulars.
Trump, who’s on a state visit to the United Kingdom, made the announcement in a social media publish shortly earlier than 1:30 a.m. Thursday native time. He known as antifa a “SICK, DANGEROUS, RADICAL LEFT DISASTER.” He additionally stated he can be “strongly recommending” that funders of antifa be investigated.
Trump’s earlier FBI director, Christopher Wray, stated in testimony in 2020 that antifa is an ideology, not a corporation, missing the hierarchical construction that may normally permit it to be designated as a terror group by the federal authorities.
After Trump’s publish, Sen. Invoice Cassidy, R-La., praised the announcement, saying: “Antifa seized upon a motion of authentic grievances to advertise violence and anarchy, working in opposition to justice for all. The President is correct to acknowledge the damaging function of Antifa by designating them home terrorists.”
In July 2019, Cassidy and Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, introduced a resolution within the Senate to sentence the violent acts of antifa and to designate the group a home terror group.
