CBCFEXECUTIVEORDERTRACKER
DesignatingAntifaasaDomesticTerrorist Organization
DateIssued:September22,2025
Topic:CriminalJustice,LawEnforcement
Thisexecutiveorderdesignates“Antifa”asadomesticterrorist organization.
Theterm“Antifa”originatedinGermanyinthe1930stodescribe opponentsofthefascisticNaziParty.Itcametoprominenceinthe UnitedStatesduringPresidentTrumpfirsttermin2017.Whilescholars classifyAntifaasadecentralizedleft-winganti-fascistandanti-racist movement,andwhileitisnotaregisterednonprofitorcorporation,the TrumpAdministrationclaimsthatAntifaisa“militarist,anarchist enterprisethatexplicitlycallsfortheoverthrowoftheUnitedStates Government,lawenforcementauthorities,andoursystemoflaw.”
TheFederalBureauofInvestigation(FBI)outlinesdomesticterrorismas actsoccurringwithinthejurisdictionoftheUnitedStatesthat: Aredangeroustohumanlife ViolatecriminallawsoftheUnitedStatesorofanyState Appeartobeintendedtointimidateorcoerceacivilianpopulationor thepolicyofgovernment;and, Affecttheconductofagovernmentbymassdestruction, assassinationorkidnapping.
HOWWILLTHISEXECUTIVEORDERBEENFORCED?
Thisexecutiveorderwillbeenforcedbyallfederaldepartmentsand agencies.
Theorderauthorizesfederalofficialstoinvestigate,disrupt,anddismantle illegaloperationsconductedbythosetheyconsiderAntifa-affiliated actors.
Aterroristdesignationallowsnationalsecurityagenciestosurveiland investigateassociatedpartieswithminimallegalrepercussions.
HOWDOESTHISIMPACTBLACKCOMMUNITIES?
BecauseAntifaisnotacohesiveorganizationwithclearleadership,this orderpermitstheTrumpAdministrationtodefinewhoisamember.Asa result,theWhiteHousemaytargetBlackpeopleprotestingracialinjustice inanonviolentmannerasAntifaandsubjectthemtolegalpenalties.
ThefederalgovernmenthashistoricallyframedBlackpoliticaldissidents asterroristsand/orthreatstonationalsecurity.InthewakeoftheCold War,theFederalBureauofInvestigation(FBI)launchedasurveillance campaigncalledCOINTELPROtoaddresscommunismintheUnited States.Itexpandedtheinitiativeinthe1960stoincludeinvestigationsinto anti-warorganizationsandcivilrightsadvocatesliketheBlackPanther Party,theNAACP,andMartinLutherKingJr.TheFBI’sexpressedobjective wasto“expose,disrupt,misdirect,anddiscredit”groupsandindividuals deemed“BlackNationalHateGroups”and“BlackExtremists,”respectively. TheFBIfabricatedpromotionalmaterials,forgeddocuments,spreadfalse rumors,andwasevenlinkedtopoliticalviolenceandthedeathofBlack activistsalltocurbtheprogressofthecivilrightsmovementintheUnited States.
HOWDOESTHISIMPACTBLACKCOMMUNITIES?
DuringtheheightoftheBlackLivesMattermovementin2020,theFBI issuedawarningaboutthedangerof“BlackIdentity”groups,including theMovementforBlackLives.Thisexecutiveordercontinuesthepatternof federalagenciestargetingBlackactivistsfortheirpoliticalviews.
In2021,PresidentTrumpandright-wingpoliticalcommentatorsblamed AntifafortheJanuary6thInsurrection,falselyclaimingthatitwas responsiblefortheattemptedsiegeoftheCapitol.Inthisorder,theWhite Houseaddstothisnarrative,declaringthatAntifaisrecruitingyoung peopletoadvancepoliticalviolenceandriots.Inaddition,theorder assertsthatleft-wingactivistsandracialjusticeadvocatesareprimarily responsibleforpoliticalviolenceandprotestsagainsttheTrump Administration.Thisrhetoricisdangerousnotonlybecauseofthelegal ramificationsthatcomewithdomesticterrorismcharges.
DeclaringAntifaadomesticterroristorganizationalsoheightensthe stakesforpoliticaldiscourseacrossthecountry.Inthisorder,theWhite HouseidentifiesprotestorsoutsideofImmigrationandCustoms Enforcement(ICE)facilitiesasAntifaactors.Thisfalsecharacterizationof AntifacouldleaveBlackprotestorsvulnerabletoviolentattacksfrom peoplewhoviewthemasathreattothenation.
Sincethememowaspublished,PresidentTrumphasstatedthatheis consideringdeclaringAntifaaforeignterroristorganization,whichwould havesignificantlymoreseverelegalramificationsfortheimplicated parties.WhilethePresidenthasexpressedhiswishes,theState Departmentistheonlyagencythatcanformallydesignateforeign terroristorganizations.
WhilecounteringclaimsthatAntifaisaterroristorganization,membersof theCongressionalBlackCaucus(CBC)recognizethatthisordercould fomentpoliticalviolence,whichtheyhavecondemnedoutright.Rep. YvetteD.Clarke,ChairoftheCongressionalBlackCaucus,releasedthe followingstatementaftertheassassinationofCharlieKirk.
“Wemustunequivocallyrejectviolenceinallitsforms.Toomanytimes inournation'shistory,politicaldifferenceshaveturnedtoviolence–violencethatourcommunity,inparticular,knowstoowellfromthe assassinationsofBlackleaderslikeDr.MartinLutherKing,Jr.,Medger Evers,andFredHampton,amongothers.Atthesametime,wemust condemnviolencewithoutabandoningourrighttospeakoutagainst ideasthatareinconsistentwithourvaluesasAmericans.”Full Statement