'We have a very serious left-wing threat': Trump vows tougher action against Antifa during meeting with conservative leaders

President Donald Trump led a meeting Wednesday along with several officials from his administration and some important personalities from the US conservative world, to highlight his administration's efforts to take strong measures against different violent leftist groups, with special emphasis on the domestic terrorist group Antifa. The event took place amid the Trump Administration's attempts to intervene in violent Democratic-controlled cities such as Portland and Chicago.

During the meeting, Trump blamed Antifa for "conducting a campaign of violence" against Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers. Similarly, the Republican leader noted, "It should be clear to all Americans that we have a very serious left-wing terror threat in our country. Radicals associated with the domestic terror group antifa that you’ve heard a lot about lately, and I’ve heard a lot about them for 10 years."

Similarly, Trump urged members of his Cabinet to declare Antifa a foreign terrorist organization in the midst of the event. "I think it’s the kind of thing I’d like to do," Trump said in response to a question about whether he would make such a designation. "If you guys agree, I agree. Let's do it," added Trump, who also noted that "They have been very threatening to people, but we're going to be very threatening to them, far more threatening to them than they ever were with us, and that includes the people that fund them."

Attendees

Trump was accompanied by Attorney General Pam Bondi, FBI Director Kash Patel, Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem, among other officials.

Among those in attendance at the White House event were influencer Nick Sortor - who was arrested last week outside an ICE facility in Portland - journalists Brandi Kruse and Andy Ngo, and even political commentator Jack Posobiec. At one point, Kruse took to the floor and lashed out at Antifa by asserting that it was known for targeting those who thought differently, further calling on the Trump administration to eradicate the far-left group. "Hopefully in three and a half years they will be nothing more than a shadow of their former selves," Kruse said.

Recently, the White House blamed the radical group for protests near an ICE facility in Portland and demonstrations in Chicago against the immigration policies of the Trump administration, which has sought to deploy the National Guard in both cities, despite lawsuits filed by local and state authorities to prevent such deployments.