US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and senior administration officials hosted representatives from 66 nations on Thursday to address threats of leftwing political violence, according to The Guardian.
The summit, officially billed as a "ministerial on the resurgence of political violence," aimed to foster international cooperation against what officials described as a growing menace.
The gathering comes as the administration intensifies efforts to label political rivals, including members of the Democratic Socialists of America, as "communists," while omitting mentions of rightwing incidents.
Rubio's Remarks
Rubio criticized leftwing activists, stating they may label themselves "anti-capitalist or anti-imperialist, communist, anarchist or Marxist," but share a common destructive agenda.
"It's always the same.
It is a poisonous resentment cloaked in the language of equality and justice liberation – an overwhelming need to tear down, to wreck," Rubio said.
He further characterized the movement as "an encroaching darkness" and declared a targeted campaign against their operations. "We will dismantle these networks brick by brick," he said.
Rubio argued that the threat from the 2001 terror attacks had diminished, allowing the US to pivot toward addressing leftwing networks.
This initiative follows the designation of "antifa" as a "domestic terrorist organization" last year, unlocking specialized intelligence and law enforcement resources.
Rubio also asserted that "Iranian proxy networks" are increasingly tied to global leftist militant groups, urging participating nations to close security loopholes across borders.
"We have no choice but to confront this menace together.
We will either cooperate across our borders, or the terrorists will continue to exploit the gaps between them," he said.
Miller's Critique
White House adviser Stephen Miller delivered a sharp critique of the psychology driving leftist activists, describing them as motivated by "envy, hatred, and jealousy."
Miller dismissed criticisms of civil rights overreach, describing appeals to civil liberties as pretextual shields used by activists to protect their violence.
"This is the tactic that the left always uses to try to protect itself from facing criminal punishment.
It is essential that we are wise enough and strong enough to understand that these appeals must fall on deaf ears," he said.
Miller called for unwavering efforts to pursue justice against political opponents, urging the administration to remain firm during legal and law enforcement actions.
Both officials cited a presidential directive from last year, "National Security Presidential Memorandum-7," as the foundational blueprint for their strategy.
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent also spoke, emphasizing the preservation of basic constitutional protections during domestic security operations.
"To be clear, in the fight against domestic terrorism, we must respect the constitutional rights of freedom of speech, association, and assembly of all Americans," Bessent said.
According to a State Department spokesperson, the 66 participating nations included Canada, France, Germany, Spain, and Argentina.
