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President Donald Trump on Wednesday said federal law enforcement will take an aggressive approach against the Antifa movement, which he recently designated as a terrorist organization.
“They have been very threatening to people, but we’re going to be very threatening to them, far more threatening to them than they ever were with us, and that includes the people that fund them,” Trump said during a roundtable discussion at the White House.
Attorney General Pam Bondi, FBI Director Kash Patel and Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem attended the meeting, which focused on domestic extremism and threats against law enforcement.
Several officials at the event discussed rising threats toward police, which the administration has cited as justification for deploying National Guard troops to cities such as Portland, Oregon.
Antifa, short for “anti-fascist,” is described by the Anti-Defamation League as a decentralized movement made up of loosely connected groups and individuals.
Bondi outlined new steps the administration is taking to counter antifa and other domestic extremist groups. She also noted recent actions by Apple and Google to remove mobile apps used to track Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers, calling it a positive development.
“We’re deploying the full might of the federal law enforcement to crack down on antifa and other domestic terrorist organizations,” Bondi said.
President Trump on Monday signed an executive order designating Antifa as a domestic terrorist organization last month, following through on a pledge he made after violent anti-ICE protests and the assassination of conservative activist Charlie Kirk.
In the order, Trump accused Antifa of recruiting young Americans, concealing its membership and funding, and coercing people into criminal activity.
“Because of the aforementioned pattern of political violence designed to suppress lawful political activity and obstruct the rule of law, I hereby designate Antifa as a ‘domestic terrorist organization,’” Trump wrote.
“All relevant executive departments and agencies shall utilize all applicable authorities to investigate, disrupt, and dismantle any and all illegal operations — especially those involving terrorist actions — conducted by Antifa or any person claiming to act on behalf of Antifa,” he added.