Top Trump officials on Thursday hosted a gathering of 66 nations to discuss the supposed threat of leftwing violence, launching a series of diatribes against leftism that were harsh even by the administration's standards. The conference, convened by Secretary of State Marco Rubio and attended by senior Trump adviser Stephen Miller and Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, was billed as a “ministerial on the resurgence of political violence” but focused solely on crushing leftist activism.
Rubio's Dehumanizing Language
Rubio used unusually dehumanizing language toward leftwing activists. “They can call themselves anti-capitalist or anti-imperialist, communist, anarchist or Marxist,” he said. “It’s always the same. It is a poisonous resentment cloaked in the language of equality and justice liberation – an overwhelming need to tear down, to wreck, what is beautiful and what is right on behalf of people who are only filled with ugliness and have nothing else to offer the world through violence and through terror.” He called leftists “an encroaching darkness” and “the enemies of civilization,” adding, “We will dismantle these networks brick by brick.”
Visa Restrictions and Antifa Designation
Later Thursday, the State Department announced a “new visa restriction policy that targets members of Far-Left Terrorist and other aligned groups.” It was not immediately clear who would be subject to the restrictions. Rubio implied the US had largely won the post-9/11 counterterrorism effort, describing that threat as “severely diminished,” and said the administration was now moving on to leftist violence, which he claimed had been overlooked. Last year, Trump designated “antifa” as a “domestic terrorist organization,” potentially enabling new intelligence, financial, and law enforcement tools against antifascist protesters.
Linking Leftist Groups to Iran
Rubio attempted to link disparate groups, stating, “Iranian proxy networks are increasingly intimately tied to leftist militant groups around the world.” He emphasized international cooperation: “We have no choice but to confront this menace together. We will either cooperate across our borders, or the terrorists will continue to exploit the gaps between them.”
Miller's Rhetoric and Dismissal of Civil Liberties
Miller railed: “The leftist is fundamentally motivated by envy, by hatred, by jealousy. The leftist looks at what is beautiful and what is good and what is natural and is filled with envy and hatred. The leftist looks at a perfect family with a perfect life and a perfect job and a perfect kid and goes to church every Sunday.” He dismissed concerns about civil rights abuses, arguing that leftwing violence “is its completely pretextual and disingenuous appeal to civil liberties in an effort to shield its own violence.” He added, “When the leftist protests that we are violating his rights, understand that he is lying … We must stay the course and be completely unflinching in the pursuit of justice against these enemies of civilization.”
Bessent's Brief Nod to Free Speech
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent was the only speaker to acknowledge free speech: “To be clear, in the fight against domestic terrorism, we must respect the constitutional rights of freedom of speech, association and assembly of all Americans.” Bessent is a former employee of George Soros, a frequent target of far-right accusations.
A State Department spokesperson said the 66 participating countries included Argentina, Canada, France, Germany, and Spain. The officials did not mention episodes of rightwing attacks, such as the January 6 Capitol riot.
