Trump Targets Antifa and the Media in White House Roundtable

Trump Targets Antifa and the Media in White House Roundtable

WASHINGTON, D.C. — In a striking scene inside the White House State Dining Room on Wednesday, President Donald Trump convened a roundtable discussion with independent journalists and online commentators to address alleged acts of violence linked to Antifa — a loosely organized anti-fascist movement.

During the meeting, President Trump and senior administration officials pledged to use the full power of the federal government to counter Antifa, likening it to criminal organizations such as drug cartels and gangs. The administration vowed to pursue the group’s funding sources and explore labeling it as an “international terrorist organization.”

However, experts note that Antifa operates more as an ideology than a structured organization, raising significant legal and constitutional questions about the administration’s approach. The president’s rhetoric is expected to heighten concerns over potential infringements on civil liberties.

Although Trump previously designated Antifa as a domestic terrorist organization, the White House has not detailed how it plans to enforce such a classification, given the movement’s decentralized nature.

The term “Antifa,” short for anti-fascist, refers to individuals and loosely affiliated groups with left-leaning or far-left political ideologies. Unlike far-right militant groups such as the Proud Boys or the Oath Keepers, Antifa lacks formal leadership, membership rolls, or a command hierarchy.

> Related: [What is Antifa, the leftist movement Trump says he’s labeling a ‘major terrorist organization’?]

Speaking at the roundtable, Trump accused members of Antifa of being “very threatening to people,” and vowed that his administration would respond “far more threatening to them than they ever were with us.” He also suggested that individuals who fund Antifa activities would face severe consequences, saying, “We’re going to be looking very strongly at the people who are funding these operations.”

FBI Director Kash Patel reinforced that message, pledging that the bureau “will not rest until we identify every single source of seed money, donor organization, and funding mechanism” supporting Antifa. Patel said his department is collaborating with Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent to track the group’s alleged financial networks.

When asked whether he would consider designating Antifa as a foreign terrorist organization — a move legally impossible for a domestic entity — Trump responded, “Does everybody agree? If you agree, I agree. Let’s get it done.”

Attorney General Pamela Bondi compared the administration’s strategy to its previous operations against drug cartels, saying, “We’re going to take the same approach with Antifa — dismantle the organization from top to bottom.”

Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem echoed the sentiment, calling Antifa “just as sophisticated and dangerous as groups like MS-13, ISIS, Hezbollah, and Hamas.”

Throughout the nearly two-hour event, Trump and his guests repeatedly criticized mainstream media coverage of protests, accusing traditional outlets of bias. At one point, the president asked participants, “What network would you say is the worst?”

Patel praised the independent commentators in attendance for their reporting, asserting that they “put their lives on the line” and “stand up for the flag,” while accusing major news organizations of ignoring key stories.

Several participants joined in the media criticism. Conservative activist Nick Sortor referred to the assembled press corps as “garbage,” while commentator Nick Shirley lamented being overlooked by major media networks.

As the discussion concluded, Trump delivered one final rebuke of the press before departing to address Middle East policy matters.

“I think you have some very honest journalists here,” he said, “but you also have many dishonest ones — like MS-DNC and CNN — they’re unbelievably dishonest. But now, I have to go solve some problems in the Middle East.”