As promised, Donald Trump has signed an order classifying Antifa as a domestic terrorist organization. The White House describes the network as “radical Left terrorists that aim to overthrow the government through violence and agitation”.

In a press release, it states that the order is part of the Trump administration’s tougher stance against what it describes as “an epidemic of radical left-wing violence”.

“This is a time that demands fearless and courageous leadership — not moral cowardice, indecision, or the lack of fortitude to call this what it is”, the White House writes in the statement.

As grounds for the decision, the administration presents a comprehensive list of what it describes as Antifa-related violence in recent years.

Trump’s administration highlights several deadly and violent incidents, including shootings against federal officials where an officer was shot in the neck at an ICE facility in Texas in July 2025, as well as the murder of a Trump supporter in Portland in 2020.

Bombings and murders

The administration also points to bomb attacks, such as when an explosive device detonated outside the Alabama Attorney General’s office in 2024, and attacks with Molotov cocktails against police at training facilities.

A recurring example is the occupation of parts of the Capitol Hill area in Seattle in 2020, where activists declared an “autonomous zone” which according to the White House led to several deaths and violent clashes with police. The administration also describes how ICE facilities have repeatedly been attacked, including an attempt in 2019 to ignite a 500-liter propane tank at a facility in Tacoma, Washington.

The White House argues that these events show a pattern of escalating violence aimed at overthrowing the government and attacking the justice system. It also lists other acts of violence linked to the “radical left”, including the assassination attempts against Trump in Pennsylvania and Florida in 2024, to underscore what it sees as a growing threat from the far left.

Difficult to implement

How the terrorist classification will be practically implemented remains unclear, not least since Antifa is a loosely organized network without central organization, making it difficult to define who belongs to the group. The violent network describes itself as anti-fascist and has no formal leadership or membership registry.

The decision will likely also face legal challenges and protests from left-wing groups who argue that such a classification could violate freedom of speech and freedom of association under the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution.

Trump promised during the election campaign to take forceful action against what he described as the left-wing violence that has long plagued the country, and today’s order is regarded by his supporters as an important step in that direction.