Trump Threatens Action Against Antifa, Calls for Media Allies to Identify Supporters

U.S. President Donald Trump on Wednesday vowed to take “very threatening” action against antifa, urging his right-wing media allies to help identify the movement’s alleged backers. His comments come nearly a month after the killing of conservative activist Charlie Kirk, an incident with no confirmed links to left-wing groups. Trump reiterated his call to classify antifa as a terrorist organization, despite the lack of evidence of centralized leadership or funding identified by U.S. law enforcement.

During a White House event with right-wing media personalities including Jack Posobiec, Savannah Hernandez, and Andy Ngo, Trump accused antifa of orchestrating violence against conservatives. The president said his administration, alongside officials such as Attorney General Pam Bondi, FBI Director Kash Patel, and Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, would investigate groups accused of funding or supporting left-wing violence. However, the event did not address violence directed at Democrats or left-leaning individuals.

Trump has also directed federal law enforcement and National Guard troops into several Democratic-run cities, including Chicago and Portland, citing threats to public order. These deployments have faced opposition from local leaders and are under judicial review. Trump warned he may invoke an anti-insurrection law, last used during the 1992 Los Angeles riots, to override court challenges to his orders.

In his remarks, Trump criticized reporters for what he called inadequate coverage of violence against conservatives before departing to address “problems in the Middle East.” Despite previous threats to label antifa a terrorist organization, federal authorities have yet to file related charges or uncover evidence of organized funding. The Congressional Research Service describes antifa as a loosely connected movement without a unified structure or ideology.