Berk Kutay Gokmen
10 July 2026•Update: 10 July 2026
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has invited senior ministers from more than 60 countries to a meeting next week on combat the “resurgence of transnational far-left terrorism,” The Washington Post reported Thursday.
The planned meeting has sparked concern among US career and political officials, European allies and independent analysts, who question the administration’s characterization of the threat, according to the report.
Some officials reportedly said they feared the effort was part of a broader push to use counterterrorism authorities against Americans viewed as left-wing extremists.
Counterterrorism adviser Sebastian Gorka has reportedly discussed using foreign terrorist designations for antifa to justify investigations of Americans linked to the loosely organized far-left movement.
One counterterrorism official said a foreign terrorist connection “can unlock certain investigative tools,” including surveillance. Gorka declined to comment.
State Department spokesman Tommy Pigott said the event was organized because far-left terrorism is “an old threat re-emerging with strong transnational links and new convergences.”
Some Trump administration officials reportedly worry the approach could later be used against conservatives. One official warned: “The idea is you’re setting a precedent for a future Gavin Newsom administration to turn these authorities on conservatives.”
The proposal has also raised concerns within the Justice Department and White House Counsel’s Office, with some officials reportedly skipping the July 16 meeting.
A White House official rejected claims of widespread concern, arguing Democrats had previously misused national security powers and pointing to the administration’s counterterrorism strategy.
