NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles!
The Trump administration is considering hosting a summit focused on countering Antifa and other left-wing extremist networks, according to sources familiar with the discussions.
Planning remains in the early stages. No date has been set, a State Department official told Fox News.
The potential summit comes as the administration ramps up its focus on what officials describe as transnational anarchist and Marxist groups, particularly those operating in Europe.
Some counterterrorism experts have disputed the characterization of Antifa as an organized group, arguing it operates more as a decentralized movement rather than a formal network, according to Reuters.
OVERSIGHT DEMANDS DOJ ANSWERS ON FOREIGN FUNDING OF AGITATOR GROUPS AS IRAN, ANTI-ICE PROTESTS CONTINUE
“The anarchists, Marxists, and violent extremists of Antifa have waged a terror campaign in the United States and across the Western world for decades, carrying out bombings, beatings, shootings and riots in service of their extreme agenda,” a State Department spokesperson said in a statement to Fox News. “The State Department is committed to identifying and dismantling these terror networks that conspire to ruthlessly suppress the will of the people and violently topple the very foundations of the United States and Western Civilization.”
Officials said recent efforts have focused on designating foreign groups tied to anarchist and left-wing extremist activity under U.S. counterterrorism authorities.
A State Department official explained to Fox News that each designation “is focused on a specific foreign organization that has engaged in terrorism or retains the capability and intent to engage in terrorism, while threatening Americans and/or U.S. national security.”
The official pointed to recent designations targeting four organizations in Europe, including groups based in Germany, Italy and Greece that authorities said use violence against perceived political opponents.
SCATHING REPORT REVEALS ANTIFA-LINKED ORG PASSING OUT MATERIAL TO K-12 STUDENTS: ‘POLITICAL REVOLUTION’
Under U.S. law, such designations trigger a range of measures, including freezing assets, restricting travel and enabling criminal prosecution for those who provide material support.
The State Department has also flagged specific incidents tied to Antifa-aligned groups, including a recent explosive attack in Rome attributed to members of the Informal Anarchist Federation, or FAI.
“These groups have engaged in organized acts of violence, and the United States will not hesitate to use its counterterrorism authorities to disrupt them and cut off their ability to access financing or operational support, just as with any other terrorist threat,” the official said.
Officials emphasized the importance of coordination with allies, noting that many of the networks operate across borders.
The administration has framed the push as part of a broader effort to combat global terrorism, including actions targeting groups such as Hamas, Hezbollah and the Houthis, as well as transnational criminal organizations.
CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP
“The United States will continue to push for strong, coordinated action to identify, monitor and disrupt violent groups, including left-wing extremist networks like Antifa-aligned organizations active in parts of Europe and the Western Hemisphere,” the official said.
