Rubio declares far-left extremism a global terrorist threat

Secretary of State Marco Rubio declared on Thursday, July 16, 2026, that violent far-left extremism constitutes a global terrorist threat that can no longer be ignored, urging more than 60 allied nations to adopt a coordinated international response. Speaking at a State Department ministerial conference in Washington, D.C., Rubio argued that governments have historically overlooked a resurgence of transnational political violence from the far left while focusing on other extremist movements.

Rubio described radical leftism as a poisonous resentment cloaked in the language of equality and justice. He stated that the share of left-wing terrorist attacks and plots in the United States has risen to levels not seen in decades, citing the assassination of conservative activist Charlie Kirk in September 2025, multiple attempts on the life of President Trump, and increased threats against Supreme Court justices. He warned that such violence is not confined to the U.S., pointing to recent attacks in Europe as evidence of a cross-border network.

The secretary announced that the administration is preparing to designate additional far-left organizations as Foreign Terrorist Organizations,...