On Wednesday, the Trump administration convened a roundtable with journalists who have been meticulously covering the activities of Antifa in the United States for over a decade.
The meeting, attended by President Trump and key administration officials, was aimed at gaining first-hand insights into the chaos and violence perpetrated by this group. However, CNN's Erin Burnett seems to downplay the existence of Antifa, asserting that "right-wing extremists" pose a greater threat.
Burnett aired a segment featuring DHS Secretary Kristi Noem discussing the intricate networks of Antifa, comparing their sophistication to that of MS-13, TDA, ISIS, Hezbollah, and Hamas. Burnett expressed disbelief, suggesting that Hamas, engaged in a two-year conflict with Israel, was more legitimate.
She failed to mention that Antifa has been supporting Hamas' efforts on American and international streets.
"And ISIS? These are incredible things to say," Burnett remarked sarcastically. "And obviously I'm not going to sit here and defend anybody who considered themselves part of an Antifa movement, such that it is, but 'such that it is' is the operative part of that sentence. Antifa is far from a major sophisticated terror organization like Hezbollah, Hamas, or ISIS. In fact," she continued, "it's not even like far-right groups like The Proud Boys or Oathkeepers, which have national leaders like Antifa."
Burnett further argued that Antifa lacks an organized hierarchy. According to a report by the Center for Strategic and International Studies, she said, Antifa-linked violence is rare and limited compared to right-wing extremism. The study, published in September, states that "2025 marks the first time in more than 30 years that left-wing terrorist attacks outnumber those from the violent far right."
As reported by The Post Millennial, the Center for Strategic and International Studies categorizes jihad and Islamic terror attacks as right-wing, despite the fact that these attacks, such as those launched against Israel by Hamas in 2023, are supported by the American left, not the right.
The Center's report states, "Left-wing attacks are remarkably less lethal overall than jihadist or right-wing attacks," and includes "opposition to government authority, believing it is tyrannical and illegitimate" in its definition of "right-wing terrorism." These are views held by Antifa and many leftists who protest against federal government intervention in American cities.
The report, however, does not account for Tesla attacks as leftist violence, nor the firebombing of Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro's home, nor the assassination of Israeli embassy workers in Washington, DC. It also omits direct attacks on federal ICE agents, such as those in which Antifa has been directly involved in Portland, OR, and other locations.
Earlier on Wednesday, Burnett's narrative was refuted by journalists Jack Posobiec, Katie Daviscourt, Andy Ngo, Nick Sortor, Nick Shirley, Julio Rosas, Savanah Hernandez, Jonathan Choe, Brandi Kruse, James Klug, and Cam Higby. They detailed their personal encounters with domestic terrorists affiliated with Antifa, their research into their activities, and provided insights into their organizational structure.
Burnett is correct in stating that Antifa lacks a designated leader, but this is intentional. The group is decentralized by design. Members dress in black, often covering their faces and heads during protests. They employ tactics such as "unarresting" their comrades when police intervene, have safe houses near protest sites, and maintain anonymity intentionally.
In September, following the assassination of conservative leader Charlie Kirk by a leftist, PBS published a report asserting that "Based on our own research and a review of related work, we can confidently say that most domestic terrorists in the U.S. are politically on the right, and right-wing attacks account for the vast majority of fatalities from domestic terrorism."
However, a review of the research linked in the PBS report, conducted by the University of Dayton's Paul Becker, reveals a focus on topics such as "country hate music," "hate speech" on the internet, "state-corporate crime," and "white nationalism" as a "global terror threat."
The research does not provide substantial evidence of right-wing crimes, with only two instances mentioned: the tragic deaths of James Byrd in Texas and Matthew Shepard in Wyoming.
The research cited by PBS does not substantiate their claims. Burnett does not provide concrete examples of right-wing extremist violence in her report, instead referencing studies that, like the one conducted by PBS, are based on flawed premises.
Burnett's narrative appears to echo Antifa talking points in an attempt to minimize their impact and mock an administration that takes domestic, left-wing extremism seriously.
Login