Trump Designates Antifa, Plans Additional Orders

President Trump signed an executive order designating “Antifa” as a domestic terrorist organization and said he will sign additional orders this week aimed at dismantling what his administration calls domestic terrorism networks. The orders direct federal agencies to investigate, disrupt and target alleged funding, operations and supporters. The White House framed the move as a response to recent violence, citing the assassination of conservative activist Charlie Kirk and a shooting at a Dallas ICE facility. Supporters and some former Antifa figures praised the action, while Democrats, civil liberties advocates and many legal experts warned the order is vague, likely unconstitutional and could be used to suppress political dissent. Analysts note the United States lacks a statutory mechanism for labeling domestic groups as terrorist organizations and emphasize that “antifa” is a decentralized ideology rather than a membership-based organization, complicating enforcement. The administration has proposed using tools such as RICO and redirecting DOJ resources to pursue suspects, but observers say the broad language, lack of identifiable membership and legal hurdles make practical implementation and defense uncertain.