Secretary of State Marco Rubio gathered leaders from over 60 countries to address what the Trump administration identifies as “left wing” political terrorism. This issue is pressed by Republicans ahead of midterm elections, despite studies showing comparatively fewer accounts of such incidents in the U.S.
Rubio and U.S. officials warn of future dangers if “communists and Marxists” involved in alleged acts are not stopped. He emphasized the need for global cooperation, stating that many have dismissed acts of violence for left-wing causes as valid political expressions.
“So many people in positions of power have repeatedly dismissed acts of violence and even terrorism as legitimate forms of political expression, so long as they served a left-wing cause,” Rubio said.
A report by the Center for Strategic and International Studies noted a recent increase in left-wing terrorism incidents surpassing right-wing attacks for the first time in 30 years. Yet, the spike starts from a low base, and right-wing incidents have decreased.
From 1994 to 2000, left-wing incidents averaged 0.6 annually, compared to 20.6 on the right. Between 2016 and 2024, left-wing incidents rose to four per year, while right-wing incidents averaged 22.7. Recent data show a drop in right-wing cases, with one incident, and a rise in left-wing cases.
The report authors caution that right-wing terrorism could resurge, stressing the importance of combating terrorism across the political spectrum.
The Republican agenda focuses heavily on opposing the far left before congressional elections. President Donald Trump accuses the rising left in the Democratic Party of aiming to “destroy the traditional American way of life.” Vice President JD Vance and House Speaker Mike Johnson have voiced concerns over left-wing extremism.
Rubio, influenced by his Cuban heritage, attributes the far-left growth in the U.S. to Cuba’s intelligence network. After his address, Stephen Miller, Trump’s deputy chief of staff, stressed urgency in defending American institutions from leftist threats.
This focus often merges democratic socialism — advocating for universal healthcare and higher taxes on the wealthy — with communism, which seeks to eliminate private ownership. The narrative has intensified after democratic socialist Zohran Mamdani’s election as New York City mayor and other electoral victories.
The administration has imposed sanctions on four antifa groups in Europe, labeling them as foreign terrorist organizations. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent highlighted financial sanctions as a strategy against these groups.
Later, Rubio revealed a policy granting officials extensive powers to restrict visas for individuals tied to terror activities, including financial and logistical support.
“We have spent decades developing the world’s most sophisticated financial counterterrorism capabilities, and now we are mobilizing some of the same tools that we have deployed against terrorists abroad to confront this emerging threat here at home,” Bessent stated.
Journalists Amiri from New York and Kinnard from Columbia, South Carolina contributed to the report, alongside Melissa Goldin in New York.