U.S. hosts far-left terrorism summit in Washington

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio will host an international conference in Washington on Thursday, July 16, 2026, focused on what the administration describes as the underestimated threat of transnational far-left terrorism. The meeting aims to rally dozens of allied nations to coordinate intelligence sharing and law enforcement action against groups the U.S. has designated as terrorist organizations.

At least 65 countries are expected to be represented at the day-long event, with some sending foreign or interior ministers and others dispatching lower-level officials or embassy staff. The State Department has framed the conference as addressing a critical blind spot in global counter-terrorism efforts, arguing that attacks by far-left actors against officials, police, and infrastructure reflect a deliberate strategy to destabilize societies. A senior department official stated the gathering would allow practitioners to discuss a growing and sophisticated global threat.

The initiative aligns with a U.S. counter-terrorism strategy released in May 2026 that prioritizes violent secular political groups alongside traditional threats. Since November 2025, the U.S. has formally...