Antifa demonstrators march in Washington, Aug. 12, 2018, on the one-year anniversary of the 2017 Charlottesville "Unite the Right" rally. (Jim Bourg/Reuters)
A White House official told Fox News Digital the administration is examining ways to memorialize Trump's call to action.
"The White House is exploring a wide variety of options to put pen to paper to address left-wing political violence and the network of organizations that fuel and fund it," the official said. "Specifics on what that looks like continue to be discussed."
Trump also said on Truth Social that those providing funds to antifa-affiliated groups should be investigated.
Trump's announcement came less than a week after conservative activist Charlie Kirk was assassinated by a gunman who allegedly wrote gamer-inspired antifascist messaging on bullet casings and accused Kirk of spreading hate. Authorities are still working to develop a complete picture of suspect Tyler Robinson's motive.
Former FBI Director Christopher Wray described antifa as a decentralized "ideology." The Congressional Research Center emphasizes that it is a broad term and that its members have a variety of radical views closely aligned with anarchism, communism or socialism. The first group known to adopt the term antifa was Rose City Antifa in Portland, Oregon, in 2007. On occasion, violent criminals have been cited in court as affiliating with antifa.
TRUMP SIGNALING TO DOJ TO TAKE ANTIFA ‘SERIOUSLY,’ FORMER DHS OFFICIAL SAYS
President Donald Trump walks to Air Force One at Morristown Airport in Morristown, N.J., on Sept. 14, 2025. (Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images)
Some have expressed concerns that Trump's announcement, and any subsequent actions the president takes related to it, could lead to constitutional violations against nonviolent people or groups on the left.
"I hope he can first define what antifa is because there is no antifa organization. … He's using the Charlie Kirk murder as a pretext to go after people that he disagrees with," Rep. Dan Goldman, D-N.Y., said.
Nowrasteh said that peacefully adhering to some kind of antifascist ideology is "absolutely protected speech."
"You can believe and say, ‘hey, this terrorist organization. … I believe in what they're doing. Their goals are great. Their beliefs are awesome.’ You could say that. That's not a legal violation, because of the First Amendment."
CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP
The American Civil Liberties Union's response to Trump's announcement echoed similar constitutional concerns.
"President Trump seems hellbent on targeting real or perceived political opponents based on their constitutionally protected beliefs and speech, and we should all be very clear that he is jeopardizing everyone’s First Amendment rights," the ACLU's Hina Shamsi said.
Ashley Oliver is a reporter for Fox News Digital and FOX Business, covering the Justice Department and legal affairs. Email story tips to ashley.oliver@fox.com.
https://www.foxnews.com/politics/trump-calls-antifa-terrorist-group-fueling-fight-over-free-speech-limits-law-enforcement