Resurgence of Political Terrorism Discussed at U.S. Cabinet Meeting
Secretary of State Marco Rubio convened a cabinet meeting in Washington, D.C., focused on the rising threat of political terrorism, emphasizing the “serious and growing danger” posed by organized groups.
The State Department made an announcement on Wednesday regarding an international conference set to take place the next day. This event aims to bring together partners from the Western Hemisphere, Europe, and Asia to collaboratively tackle and counter the transnational risk of far-left political violence, which includes “attacks against civilians, government officials, police, and critical infrastructure globally.”
Rubio stated, “Far-left political terrorism is not a recent modern novelty. It is not a fiction concocted by conservative politicians. In fact, for most of modern times, it has been the dominant form of political violence.”
A fact sheet from the Department indicated that historically, most politically motivated terrorism in Western nations has stemmed from violent far-left groups. From 1970 to 1980, these groups accounted for 93 percent of terrorist attacks and 58 percent of terror-related fatalities.
The State Department pointed out a notable increase in far-left terrorist activities in Western countries since 2016, revealing that a greater number of recent attacks in the U.S. are now linked to left-leaning, anti-government sentiments more than any other ideology.
“In 2025, far-left groups were responsible for 63% of all recorded anti-government attacks and plots, as well as 3 out of 4 anti-government deaths in the United States,” the report detailed.
The report further mentioned, “In 2024, there were 21 attacks by far-left and anarchist terrorists in the European Union, compared to 24 by jihadist terrorists. Out of 45 terrorist incidents reported in Europe in 2025, 12 were executed by far-left and anarchist groups.”
Rubio asserted that both the U.S. and Europe are “underestimating” the gravity of left-wing threats. He noted a spike of over 40% in far-left violence in Germany last year, with Greece reporting that more than 80% of extremist violence is linked to far-left anarchists.
Rubio declared, “Today, we face a new wave of this old evil. Here in the United States, the rate of left-wing terrorist attacks and plots has risen to levels not seen in decades.”
He cited examples that may resonate with the audience, including a school shooting by a transgender gunman last year and multiple assassination attempts on former President Trump, along with the murder of Turning Point USA’s founder, Charlie Kirk.
According to Rubio, “None of this is driven by idealism. It’s not utopia. It has always been driven by hatred, above all hatred of civilization itself. It is a revolt of the worst against the best, a revolt of the weak and the cowards against the strong and the good.”
The State Department acknowledged that the Trump administration has previously taken measures against left-wing terrorism by designating four violent groups as Foreign Terrorist Organizations and Specially Designated Global Terrorists: Antifa Ost, the Unofficial Federation of Anarchists/International Revolutionary Front, Armed Proletarian Justice, and Revolutionary Class Self-Defense.
