US secretary of state Marco Rubio has invited senior ministers from more than 60 countries, including India, to a meeting next week focused on what the Trump administration describes as the “resurgence of transnational far-left terrorism”, according to documents reviewed by The Washington Post.The July 16 meeting at the US State Department is expected to bring together foreign and interior ministers from Europe, Latin America and Asia as Washington seeks to build international cooperation against what it considers an emerging security threat. The invitation list reportedly includes India, Indonesia, Singapore, most European countries and several major Latin American nations.The initiative, however, has triggered unease within sections of the US government and among some allies. According to The Washington Post, career and political officials, European diplomats and independent analysts have questioned the administration’s assessment of the threat, with some expressing concern that counterterrorism powers could increasingly be used against political activists.According to the report, several US officials fear the administration is laying the groundwork to use powerful counterterrorism authorities against activists it considers left-wing extremists. Some officials have also warned that such measures could establish a precedent that future administrations might use against conservative groups.One Trump administration official told The Washington Post that the concern was that “you’re setting a precedent for a future Gavin Newsom administration to turn these authorities on conservatives”. The report added that these concerns have also been raised within the Justice Department and the White House Counsel’s Office, with some officials reportedly deciding not to attend the meeting.
Why Rubio called the meeting
The meeting comes as President Donald Trump intensifies his campaign against Antifa, a loosely organised anti-fascist movement that he has repeatedly accused of fuelling political violence.The Trump administration in 2025 had designated Antifa as a terrorist organisation, describing it as a “dangerous, radical left disaster”. Trump also called for investigations into individuals and organisations allegedly funding the movement.Unlike conventional organisations, Antifa has no formal leadership or central structure. It is a decentralised network of activists united by opposition to fascism, racism and authoritarianism. While some participants have been involved in violent confrontations during protests, researchers have long argued that Antifa functions as a movement rather than a single organisation.The administration has also expanded its campaign beyond the United States. The State Department has designated Germany’s Antifa Ost, along with three Antifa-linked groups in Italy and Greece, as Specially Designated Global Terrorists, saying the move forms part of Trump’s broader strategy to disrupt violent anti-fascist networks operating internationally. Rubio had visited India in May 2026, where he met Prime Minister Narendra Modi in New Delhi to strengthen the India-US Comprehensive Global Strategic Partnership. During the four-day visit, Rubio also met external affairs minister S Jaishankar and attended the Quad foreign ministers’ meeting.
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