President Donald Trump said he is designating the far-left anti-fascism movement Antifa as a terrorist organization, announcing the move on his Truth Social platform in the early hours of Thursday morning UK time.

It wasn’t immediately clear what mechanism Trump would use to make the designation, and Antifa lacks centralized structure or defined leadership, making it unclear who or what precisely would be targeted.

“I am pleased to inform our many U.S.A. Patriots that I am designating ANTIFA, A SICK, DANGEROUS, RADICAL LEFT DISASTER, AS A MAJOR TERRORIST ORGANIZATION,” Trump wrote. “I will also be strongly recommending that those funding ANTIFA be thoroughly investigated in accordance with the highest legal standards and practices. Thank you for your attention to this matter!”

A White House official told CNN, “This is just one of many actions the president will take to address left wing organizations that fuel political violence.”

Trump — who’s overseas for a formal state visit — signaled the move earlier this week in remarks from the Oval Office following the murder of conservative activist Charlie Kirk.

    • bigfondue@lemmy.world
      9·
      36 minutes ago

      They’ve been using antifa as a boogyman for a while, but now anyone who opposes fascism is a terrorist. So if you’re against Trump, you’ll have the full power of the PATRIOT act and Homeland Security coming after you. Very fucked

  • 🔰Hurling⚜️Durling🔱@lemmy.world
    8·
    27 minutes ago

    He’s going to weaponize this to go after Sanders, Warren, AOC and the like.

    …And we’re continuing our march to 1930s Germany

    EDIT: I wouldn’t be surprised that he used this as an excuse to kick out all Democrats from government, just like evil mustache man did.

  • brachiosaurus@mander.xyz
    2·
    24 minutes ago

    What’s really bad about this is that the moment you are officially labelled by the government as a terrorist they can violate any rights you have

  • Viking_Hippie@lemmy.dbzer0.com
    38·
    3 hours ago

    making it unclear who or what precisely would be targeted.

    That’s not just deliberate, it’s the point.

    By keeping it vague while controlling the agencies and courts responsible for enforcing it, they can declare all resistance to be Antifa (like their media echo chamber already does) and thus terrorism.

    This is literally criminalizing constitutionally protected dissent and then elevating the crime to terrorism.

    “I will also be strongly recommending that those funding ANTIFA be thoroughly investigated"

    Proof positive that he doesn’t know how the law works, since funding a designated terrorist organization is already deemed a crime and thus investigated 🙄

    • Dragonstaff@leminal.spaceEnglish
      8·
      2 hours ago

      There’s actually no such thing, legally, as a domestic terrorist organization nor laws against funding them, only foreign. The authoritarians who wrote the law didn’t expect the government to wipe its ass with the First Amendment so thoroughly.

      But that’s just regarding your second point. The administration will absolutely continue criminalizing constitutionally protected dissent.

    • TotallynotJessica@lemmy.blahaj.zoneEnglish
      131·
      2 hours ago

      HOLY FUCKING SHIT IS THIS NOT BAD ENOUGH ON IT’S OWN!!! THIS WILL LITERALLY BE USED TO LOCK UP REAL FUCKING PEOPLE IN THE FUTURE, YET THE ONLY LANGUAGE YOU CAN UNDERSTAND FOR OPPOSING HIM IS “HA HA, HE’S A PEDO.”

      I’m genuinely tired of people acting like this is some instant kill move. His friendship with Epstein is old news that is only relevant and salient now because some Trumpians are mad at him for other reasons. They recognize that Trump hasn’t delivered what they wanted, but they lack the understanding and vocabulary to actually articulate the reasons for their anger. What they do understand is accusing people of being a pedo, and oh boy is Trump a certified Pedophile.

      I understand memeing on him about it, and I often find it funny, but for the love of fuck, please stop acting like Trump’s crimes against humanity are a distraction. Yes he personally abused kids in the past, but he’s also systemically abusing kids right now for simply being born in the wrong country. It’s fucking disgusts me when people do this.

  • Kobibi@sh.itjust.works
    8·
    3 hours ago

    Is it a coincidence that he’s had this bright idea while visiting with Starmer? Maybe they had some nice chats about pensioners being arrested for having Palestine flags