US President Donald Trump has signed a directive empowering the national Joint Terrorism Task Force (JTTF) to pursue individuals and groups accused of engaging in acts of domestic terrorism.
The memo, dated September 25, orders the task force to “investigate, prosecute, and disrupt” suspected networks and individuals. It cites what it calls “common threads” of domestic extremism, including anti-American, anti-capitalist, and anti-Christian views.
The document also lists support for the overthrow of the US government, radical positions on migration, race, and gender, and hostility toward what it describes as traditional American values on family, religion, and morality.
“These movements portray foundational American principles (e.g., support for law enforcement and border control) as ‘fascist’ to justify and encourage acts of violent revolution,” the memo states. “This ‘anti-fascist’ lie has become the organizing rallying cry used by domestic terrorists to wage a violent assault against democratic institutions, constitutional rights, and fundamental American liberties.”
The JTTF has been tasked with investigating “potential” crimes tied to recruitment or radicalisation for such causes. It has also been authorised to examine NGOs and US citizens with overseas links — including connections to foreign governments, foundations, or networks — where such ties might involve money laundering or the financing of extremist activity.
The president directed the task force to prioritise probes into the funding of terrorism and the facilitation of violent acts.
The announcement comes amid international debates over religious intolerance, particularly in Nigeria. Online discussions in recent weeks revived unverified claims that more Christians had been killed in Nigeria than Palestinians in Gaza this year.
Nigeria has rejected those narratives. Mohammed Idris, the country’s minister of information and national orientation, said on Sunday that framing Nigeria’s wider security crisis as a targeted campaign against Christians was “false, baseless, despicable, and divisive.”
