Trump Admin Prosecutions Reveal the True Nature, and Threat, of Antifa

This month, the Southern Poverty Law Center‘s interim CEO Bryan Fair testified that Antifa is an “ideology,” not a “group,” but the Justice Department’s prosecutions of Antifa agitators under President Donald Trump should dispel this notion once and for all.

Not only do self-described anti-fascists exist, but they have organized in groups that feature in indictments and guilty verdicts. While these Antifa groups may be loosely organized and often rely on mutual aid networks, the notion that they are not organized and therefore cannot be monitored in the same way that groups like the SPLC claim to monitor white nationalists is a farce.

At least two high-profile cases illustrate the nature of Antifa agitation groups and how they support and inspire violence.

Direct Action Minnesota

Last week, a federal grand jury indicted 15 members and associates of Direct Action Minnesota, charging them with conspiracy to impede a federal officer, multiple counts of interstate stalking, interstate threats, solicitation to commit a crime of violence, counts of assault on a federal officer, and destruction of government property.

Kyle Wagner, named in the Direct Action Minnesota indictment, faces charges of conspiracy to impede or injure a federal officer and solicitation to commit a crime of violence. According to the indictment, he allegedly identified himself as “Antifa,” and wore a sweatshirt with the text “I’m Antifa.”

The indictment describes groups such as the Black Cat Worker’s Collective as an “Antifa affinity group.” At a Feb. 7 rally hosted by the collective, attendees wore “Antifa”-branded sweatshirts.

The indictment states that Direct Action Minnesota “worked closely with other direct action groups, Antifa affinity groups, [rapid response networks], and other organizations to plan for an execute direct actions. DAMN infiltrated and exploited lawful protests to more efficiently carry out its direct actions targeting operations involving ICE as well as supporting federal and state law enforcement.”

“DAMN relied upon otherwise lawful protesters and ‘strength in numbers’ to distract law enforcement and enable DAMN members to carry out its direct action operations,” the indictment claims.

The indictment quotes Wagner comparing federal immigration forces to Nazis and urging violence against them. “Sorry, but welcome to America 2026, where the Second Amendment is the only thing that’s going to keep you f—ing protected from literal f—ing Nazi gun men that are killing innocent people in the street with impunity.” He later allegedly added, “Get your f—ing guns and stop these f—ing people.”

Wagner and other defendants allegedly trained other Antifa affinity groups at “Anarchist Speaking Tour” events in Chicago, Ann Arbor, and Seattle in April 2026.

Authorities had already arrested Wagner on federal threat and cyberstalking charges, accusing him of calling for the murder of ICE officers.

Prairieland Facility Attack

In March, a jury convicted eight alleged members of an Antifa cell for providing material support to terrorists.

The jury convicted eight people of riot, providing material support to terrorists, and other charges related to a July 4, 2025, riot outside the Prairieland Detention Facility operated by Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Rioters set off fireworks, and when police arrived at the scene, one of the rioters opened fire, wounding an officer in the shoulder.

Before trial, seven other defendants pleaded guilty to providing material support to terrorists.

The agitators organized via the app Signal and had Antifa magazines and other materials showing leftist ideology and anti-government intentions, the government argued at trial. Ryan Raybould, U.S. attorney for the Northern District of Texas, told the Daily Signal that the verdicts will help advance Trump’s National Security Presidential Memorandum-7, which directs federal agencies to combat organized political violence, especially in the wake of the Charlie Kirk assassination in September.

“Antifa was found to be a domestic terrorist organization and that these defendants were found to provide material support, I think, is very consistent with NSPM-7 and the priority of this administration to try to stop political violence by domestic terrorist groups,” Raybould said.

“This case shows a road map for charging individuals that commit violent acts that are coordinating through their Antifa affiliation,” he explained.

Raybould noted that “the Antifa membership, which was demonstrated through Signal chats, through pamphlets and flyers and their messages back and forth, really showed that there was hostility towards ICE agents and this government installation and that it was coordinated—they weren’t just peaceful protesters.”

Antifa Is Real

These cases give the lie to the old canard that Antifa isn’t an organization, but an ideology. Yes, Antifa networks are often loosely connected, but that does not mean they do not exist. If organizations like the Southern Poverty Law Center truly wish to monitor extremism and potential violent threats, they must track Antifa.

The SPLC’s explicit and repeated refusal to do so speaks volumes.