Officials and experts say Antifa operates overseas and is well-organized and well-funded.
With the Trump administration intensifying investigations into the overseas operations and financial networks of far-left extremist group Antifa, debate has sharpened over whether the group should be designated a foreign terrorist organization.
President Donald Trump designated Antifa as a domestic terrorist organization in a Sept. 22 executive order, 12 days after conservative influencer Charlie Kirk was slain at an event at Utah Valley University. The alleged gunman left behind bullet casings with writing on them, including an unspent one that read, “Hey, fascist! Catch!”
The shooting drew fresh attention to the so-called anti-fascist movement and Antifa.
During an Oct. 8 roundtable discussion with journalists who spoke about being assaulted by members of Antifa, Trump reacted favorably when a reporter asked whether it would be appropriate to designate the organization as a foreign terror group, similar to Mexican drug cartels and transnational gangs.
“Let’s get it done,” Trump said.
White House deputy chief of staff Stephen Miller called it a “very valid step” because of Antifa’s foreign ties.
Designating a group as a foreign terrorist organization equips the federal government with greater authority to conduct international investigations, seize assets, and pursue criminal charges, providing more options beyond domestic measures.
Sen. Eric Schmitt (R-Mo.) said he believes that a foreign terrorist designation for Antifa is necessary, and he recently wrote to Secretary of State Marco Rubio about Antifa’s overseas activities.
“They have an international network of safe houses. Antifa is not an idea, it’s an organization,” Schmitt told The Epoch Times.
“I think if we’re serious about taking on political violence … they’re the tip of the spear, so I think it’s absolutely necessary.”
Rubio’s office did not immediately respond to The Epoch Times’ request for comment, citing the ongoing government shutdown.
Antifa ‘Myth’
Critics argue that Trump’s actions against Antifa represent government overreach, as well as sparking a larger debate about using terror designations to address domestic dissent.
