☕ Antifa is on the terror list

Good morning!

Stat of the day: according to NBC news, President Trump’s executive order to change the Department of Defense to the Department of War will cost up to $2 billion, primarily due to the complete rewriting of the department’s digital infrastructure, as well as the cost of replacing signs, letterheads and labeling at military bases worldwide.

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Some headlines from this morning:

• The federal government reopened on Thursday after a record 43-day shutdown, but delays persist in restoring essential services. The SNAP nutrition program will resume, though officials have not provided a timeline for when benefits will be distributed. Air traffic controllers, who worked without pay during the shutdown, will receive expedited backpay following widespread travel disruptions. Federal agencies are working to return operations to normal as programs restart nationwide.

• The Justice Department sued California on Thursday over a constitutional amendment allowing partisan redistricting, calling it illegal. Voters approved Governor Gavin Newsom’s redistricting plan earlier this month with 64% support, a response to Republican gerrymandering in other states. Attorney General Pam Bondi said the plan was “a brazen power grab that tramples on civil rights.” Newsom’s spokesperson said the administration expects to prevail in court.

• Russia has launched a major drone and missile attack on the capital of Ukraine, Kyiv, killing four people and injuring at least 27. The assault involved 430 drones and 18 missiles targeting high-rise residential buildings, according to Ukrainian officials. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said the attacks were designed to “cause as much harm as possible to civilians.” It marks the largest attack on the capital in three weeks, as Russia shifts focus from energy infrastructure strikes ahead of winter.

• Los Angeles Dodgers star Shohei Ohtani won his third consecutive MLB Most Valuable Player award, and fourth overall. The 31-year-old led the Dodgers to their second straight World Series championship this season. Ohtani’s success stems partly from his rare status as a “two-way” player who both pitches and bats at elite levels. The win moves him closer to Barry Bonds’ record of seven MVP awards, earned between 1990 and 2004.

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The BBC has apologized to President Trump for a 2024 edited clip that made it appear he directly called for the Capitol riot on January 6, 2021.

The British public broadcaster issued the apology on Thursday but rejected Trump's $1 billion compensation demand. Two senior BBC staff members resigned over the editing controversy. Here's what you need to know.

What happened?

The BBC's flagship current affairs program Panorama aired an episode in October 2024 that included edited footage from Trump's January 6, 2021 speech. The edit made it appear that Trump directly encouraged the crowd to attack the Capitol Building that day.

Trump's lawyers sent a letter to the BBC threatening to sue for $1 billion in damages and demanding an apology. The BBC issued a formal apology Thursday night, hours after a second clip raised similar editing concerns.

"The BBC accepts the Panorama edit unintentionally created the mistaken impression that President Trump had made a direct call for violent action," the broadcaster said. "The BBC would like to apologize to President Trump for that error of judgment."

A BBC spokesperson said the broadcaster "sincerely regrets the manner in which the video clip was edited" but "strongly disagrees that there is a basis for a defamation claim."

January 6

Multiple investigations examined Trump's conduct on January 6, with many alleging he incited the riot. Since taking office, the Department of Justice has dropped these investigations. Trump continues to deny any role in inciting the Capitol attack.

The BBC editing controversy adds to ongoing debate about Trump's responsibility for the events of January 6 and how media organizations portray his statements from that day.

Will the lawsuit go ahead?

The White House has not commented on whether Trump will proceed with the lawsuit despite the BBC's apology.

The threatened lawsuit is the latest in a series of legal actions Trump has taken against media companies since winning the 2024 election. He recently settled with 60 Minutes after claiming the program edited an interview with Kamala Harris to benefit her campaign.

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The Trump administration has designated four European anti-fascist groups as foreign terrorist organizations, allowing the government to prosecute the groups and their financial supporters.

The State Department listed German group Antifa Ost, the Italian Informal Anarchist Federation, and two Greek organizations—Armed Proletarian Justice and Revolutionary Class Self-Defense. The designations take effect on November 20.

It comes after President Trump promised to crack down on anti-fascist left-wing groups after the assassination of right-wing commentator Charlie Kirk.

The designation

The State Department announced the designations on its website on Thursday, stating they would take effect on November 20.

The announcement goes on to list the groups and explain why they are terrorist organisations. Reasons include conducting attacks against “individuals it perceives as ‘fascists’ or part of the ‘right-wing scene’ and supporting the necessity of “revolutionary armed struggle against nation states”.

“Persons that engage in certain transactions or activities with those designated today may expose themselves to sanctions risk,” the State Department statement continued.

The order also blocks “all property and property interests” of the designated groups currently in the U.S.

What is ANTIFA?

Antifa is a decentralized anti-fascist movement that has operated in the U.S. for decades. The name comes from the German word "antifaschistisch."

The movement gained national attention during Trump's first presidency. In 2017, around 100 masked Antifa supporters attacked far-right activists at a Berkeley protest. In 2020, a Portland man identifying with Antifa shot and killed a member of a far-right group.

The groups targeted by the designation have alleged histories of violent action in Europe.

Germany's domestic intelligence agency identified Antifa Ost as a violent network in 2024. The Greek Revolutionary Class Self-Defense group claimed responsibility for an explosion on a train line that caused minor damage and no injuries in April.

The State Department claims Armed Proletarian Justice planted a bomb next to Greek riot police headquarters in 2023.

Trump’s crackdown

President Trump promised to crack down on anti-fascist left-wing groups after the assassination of right-wing commentator Charlie Kirk.

Trump signed an executive order earlier this year designating Antifa as a domestic terrorist organization. "Antifa is a militarist, anarchist enterprise that explicitly calls for the overthrow of the United States Government, law enforcement authorities, and our system of law," the order stated.

The President has targeted Antifa as a catch-all for violent leftists since the 2017 Berkeley protests, but ramped up anti-Antifa rhetoric following Kirk's death.

What the designation does

The State Department announcement lists the groups and explains why they qualify as terrorist organizations. Reasons include conducting attacks against "individuals it perceives as 'fascists' or part of the 'right-wing scene'" and supporting the necessity of "revolutionary armed struggle against nation states."

"Persons that engage in certain transactions or activities with those designated today may expose themselves to sanctions risk," the State Department said.

The order also blocks "all property and property interests" of the designated groups currently in the U.S.

What’s next?

The designation is the latest step in the Trump administration's crackdown on extremist left-wing movements. Critics fear the broad definition of Antifa could lead to legitimate political groups being targeted by these initiatives.

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