President Donald Trump said Monday he would consider designating the far-left anti-fascist group Antifa as domestic terrorists, previewing a plan to crack down on what he has portrayed as a threat. widespread network of left-wing radicals inciting violence.
"Yeah, it's something I would do," he said when asked whether he would assign a domestic terrorism label to Antifa, saying he would proceed if he found support from Cabinet officials and the Justice Department.
It wasn't clear who or what exactly Trump would designate; Antifa is a loosely organized movement without a distinct leader, membership lists, or structure.
But the president's openness to action underscored his intent to quickly move against political opponents Trump could begin rolling out actions targeting liberal organizations as early as this week, people familiar with the discussions said, as he seeks to channel conservative anger over Charlie Kirk's killing to target his rivals.
In addition to designating certain left-wing groups as terrorist organizations, Trump said he was discussing bringing racketeering charges against some operations with his attorney general.
Trump has also raised the possibility of revoking tax-exempt status for liberal non-profits, and his attorney general and senior adviser have raised the prospect of criminal charges against groups or individuals who are allegedly targeting conservatives.
What actions the president ultimately takes remains an open question. But advisers said there was an across-the-administration effort underway to identify groups that target conservatives or promote violence, with a goal of taking quick action.
As Trump departs Tuesday for a state visit in the United Kingdom, team members were expected to continue those efforts in Washington, DC, while he is on the three-day trip. When he returns to the US, Trump plans to speak at a memorial service for Kirk in Arizona on Sunday.
A host of administration officials have signaled in the wake of Kirk's assassination that they will be targeting what they claim is a coordinated left-wing effort to incite violence. The moves have drawn protest from some Democrats, who allege Trump is creating a pretext to crack down on dissent or opposing viewpoints.
While the suspect in Kirk's killing held "leftist ideology," according to Utah GOP Governor Spencer Cox, a motive for the assassination has not been revealed. The administration has not presented evidence that the 22-year-old accused gunman was working with or influenced by the groups Trump has said he is targeting.
But the president appeared determined to target left-wing groups whose activities he claims have led to violence.
"Antifa is terrible. There are other groups," he said in the Oval Office. "We have some pretty radical groups, and they got away with murder," he added without providing any evidence or elaborating.
Trump also said he'd been discussing with Attorney General Pam Bondi the prospect of bringing racketeering charges against left-wing groups that he claimed were funding left-wing agitators.
I've asked Pam to look into that in terms of RICO, bringing RICO cases," he said, adding: "They should be put in jail, what they're doing to this country is really subversive.
Deputy chief of staff Stephen Miller, also speaking in the Oval Office, cited a "network of organizations" that he accused of inciting riots, specifically naming Black Lives Matter demonstrations.
"The key point the president has been making is that somebody is paying for all of this. This is not happening for free, and so, following the president's direction, the attorney general is going to find out who is paying for it, and they will now be criminally liable for paying for violence," Miller added.
Bondi said later on Monday that the government would "target" those who use hate speech, but specified, "that's across the aisle."
Speaking on the podcast of Katie Miller, former adviser to Elon Musk's Department of Government Efficiency and wife of Stephen Miller, the attorney general used attacks against Democratic Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro in addition to Kirk to denounce hate speech.
Asked by Miller whether she envisions "going after these groups who are using hate speech and putting cuffs on people," Bondi said, "We will absolutely target you, go after you, if you are targeting anyone with hate speech, anything, and that's across the aisle."
"I mean look what happened, think about Josh Shapiro," Bondi said, referring to the arson attack that targeted the Pennsylvania governor's mansion in April.
However, Trump repeated his usual refrain that political violence comes from the left, while downplaying instances of violence or violent rhetoric that have targeted Democrats.
"The radical left causes tremendous violence, and they seem to do it in a bigger way," he said.
Pressed on why he didn't lower American flags after the murder of Minnesota Democratic state Rep. Melissa Hortman, Trump said he would have done so if he had been asked.
I would have done that, but the governor of Minnesota didn't ask me," he said, referring to Democratic Gov. Tim Walz. "I would have done that gladly.
Trump ordered flags to be flown at half-staff immediately following Kirk's killing.
Hortman and her husband were killed in an attack over the summer, which Walz has since called a "politically motivated assassination."
In the immediate aftermath of that shooting, Trump refused to call the governor, who was on the 2024 presidential ticket, to offer condolences, instead calling him "whacked out" and suggesting that talking to him was unnecessary.
"I could be nice and call, but why waste time?" Trump said in June.
Teddy Tschann, a spokesperson for Walz, responded to Trump's Monday comments in a statement: "Governor Walz wishes that President Trump would be a President for all Americans."
This story and headline have been updated with additional information.
newsrealtime's Arlette Saenz contributed to this report.
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