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During a White House roundtable discussion, Kristi Noem this week likened antifa to the notorious gang, the Gaza-based organization, the Iran-backed group and ISIS, describing the decentralized street activists “equally threatening” as officially recognized terror groups.

“They operate with the same complexity as Mara Salvatrucha, as TDA [Tren de Aragua], as the Islamic State, as Hezbollah, as the Palestinian faction, as all of them, they pose the same level of threat,” the secretary stated. “Their goal is to dismantle our society, similar to other extremist groups we have confronted for many, many years.”

The discussion featured rightwing social media journalists including several prominent commentators and others who cover antifa protests.

Several organizations mentioned by the secretary – the Palestinian, Lebanese, and jihadist factions – are formally designated terrorist organizations that control territory, operate military wings, have hierarchical leadership and have executed large-scale assaults including bombings, kidnappings and targeted killings.

Extremism experts have frequently characterized antifa, by contrast, as having no centralized leadership, official membership or organizational structure, and it has generally been described by federal law enforcement as a decentralized movement of campaigners who participate in demonstrations, some of which has included damage to belongings and street violence.

This meeting follows an executive order issued last month classifying anti-fascist activists as a “homegrown terror group”.

Shortly prior to the declaration, Joe Biggs previously convicted and later pardoned for his role on January 6 posted on X: “Who is prepared to pursue anti-fascist activists? Since I am acquainted with several individuals.”