NSPM-7
National Security Presidential Memorandum-7 (NSPM-7), titled Countering Domestic Terrorism and Organized Political Violence,[1] is a National Security Presidential Memorandum (NSPM) issued by President Donald Trump on September 25, 2025.[2][3][4]
The memorandum was subsequently cited in a September 29, 2025, memorandum by the United States Attorney General Pam Bondi titled "Ending Political Violence Against ICE".[5]
Content
[edit]The memorandum targets "Countering Domestic Terrorism and Organized Political Violence", including "Anti-Capitalist" and "Anti-American" views.[6][7]
The order directs investigation into "networks, entities, and organizations that foment political violence" by the FBI's Joint Terrorism Task Force (JTTF).[7]
Reactions
[edit]The Brennan Center for Justice found numerous flaws in an analysis of NSPM-7 along with a concomitant presidential order: "Designating Antifa as a Domestic Terrorist Organization".[8] The Brennan report concluded "both the order and the memo are ungrounded in fact and law."[9] Among the criticisms:
- The report calls out "the failure to cite any statute or constitutional provision in support of the president’s action." The authors claim the president has no authority to declare domestic terrorist organizations, noting that the laws and Supreme Court decisions authorizing declaration of foreign terrorist organizations had ruled out domestic designations.[9]
- Regarding the scope of the orders, the Brennan Center report says that the orders could target a broad range of disfavored groups and views, encompassing "everyone from labor organizers, socialists, many libertarians, those who criticize Christianity, pro-immigration groups, anti-ICE protestors, and racial justice and transgender activists, to anyone who holds views that the administration considers to be 'anti-American.'"[9]
On September 25, 2025, the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) issued a statement condemning the directive, with ACLU's National Security Project director writing "Working from a fever dream of conspiracies, President Trump has launched yet another effort to investigate and intimidate his critics."[10]
On September 26, 2025, Human Rights Watch acting executive director Federico Borello issued a statement writing that "President Trump’s order mobilizing federal law enforcement to investigate perceived opponents of his administration turns reality on its head".[11] On the same day, the National Coalition Against Censorship characterized the directive as a "blueprint for law enforcement to cast a wide net in the name of terrorism and political violence, but it is unmistakable in targeting political opponents in its crosshairs".[12]
American journalist Ken Klippenstein reported on the memorandum, characterizing the directive as labelling "common beliefs as terrorism".[13][self-published source?]
In a newsletter, Democratic Congressman Ro Khanna described the memorandum as "one of his most dangerous power grabs yet", referring to Trump.[14] Khanna likewise added "The goal is to silence people and groups by threatening retaliation."[7]
An open letter signed by over 3,000 NGOs opposed the directive.[15]
On October 1, 2025, Miles Taylor, who served as Chief of Staff of the United States Department of Homeland Security during the first Trump Administration, wrote on his Substack that the directive was "Orwellian beyond belief".[16]
National security journalist Fred Kaplan wrote that Trump is "laying the groundwork for a police state" with NSPM-7, "[T]he clearest statement of Trump's intentions."[17]
References
[edit]- ^ "Countering Domestic Terrorism and Organized Political Violence". Federal Register. 2025-09-30. Retrieved 2025-10-03.
- ^ Riccardi, Nicholas (September 25, 2025). "Trump orders crackdown on 'domestic terrorists' in escalation of a campaign against political rivals". AP News. Retrieved 2025-10-02.
- ^ Cancryn, Adam (September 25, 2025). "Trump signs memorandum ordering probes of groups aiding 'organized political violence'". CNN. Retrieved 2025-10-02.
- ^ Chitirala, Isha (September 25, 2025). "Penn faculty, legal experts criticize Trump's domestic terrorism memo as threat to campus free speech". The Daily Pennsylvanian. Retrieved 2025-10-02.
- ^ "Ending Political Violence Against ICE". justice.gov. Office of the Attorney General. Retrieved 4 October 2025.
- ^ "Countering Domestic Terrorism and Organized Political Violence". Federal Register. 2025-09-30. Retrieved 2025-10-03.
- ^ a b c Burga, Solcyré (October 2, 2025). "White House Anti-Terror Order Targets 'Anti-American' Views". TIME. Retrieved 2025-10-02.
- ^ "Designating Antifa as a Domestic Terrorist Organization". The White House. September 22, 2025. Retrieved 2025-10-10.
- ^ a b c Patel, Faiza (September 25, 2025). "Trump's Orders Targeting Antifascism Aim to Criminalize Opposition". Brennan Center for Justice. Retrieved 2025-10-10.
- ^ "ACLU Statement on the Trump Administration's Memorandum Targeting Political Opponents" (Press release). American Civil Liberties Union. September 25, 2025. Retrieved 2025-10-02.
- ^ "US: Trump Targets Opponents in Sweeping Memorandum". Human Rights Watch. September 26, 2025. Retrieved 2025-10-02.
- ^ "Advocacy Isn't Terrorism: The Executive Order That Threatens Political Dissent". National Coalition Against Censorship. September 27, 2025. Retrieved 2025-10-03.
- ^ Klippenstein, Ken (September 27, 2025). "Trump's NSPM-7 Labels Common Beliefs As Terrorism "Indicators"". www.kenklippenstein.com. Retrieved 2025-10-02.
- ^ @kenklippenstein (October 2, 2025). "Wow: Congressman @RoKhanna /spotlights NSPM-7 in the following message sent to his entire email list:" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
- ^ Stanton, Andrew (September 30, 2025). "What is NSPM-7? Over 3,000 nonprofits sound alarm on new Trump directive". Newsweek. Retrieved 2025-10-02.
- ^ Taylor, Miles (October 1, 2025). "MUST READ: The president made it easier to add you to the terrorist watchlist". www.treason.io. Retrieved 2025-10-03.
- ^ Kaplan, Fred (October 6, 2025). "This Trump Executive Action Is One of the Most Alarming We've Seen So Far". Slate. ISSN 1091-2339. Retrieved 2025-10-07.
External links
[edit]- Countering Domestic Terrorism and Organized Political Violence on the website of the White House
