US President Donald Trump has issued a memorandum authorising the national Joint Terrorism Task Force (JTTF) to “investigate, prosecute, and disrupt entities and individuals” involved in domestic terrorism.
The directive, signed on September 25, categorises ideologies perceived as anti-American, anti-capitalist, and anti-Christian as “common threads” of domestic terrorism.
Trump also identified advocacy for the overthrow of the US government, extremist positions on migration, race, and gender, along with opposition to traditional American values on family, religion, and morality, as acts of domestic terrorism.
“These movements portray foundational American principles (e.g., support for law enforcement and border control) as ‘fascist’ to justify and encourage acts of violent revolution,” the memo reads.
“This ‘anti-fascist’ lie has become the organizing rallying cry used by domestic terrorists to wage a violent assault against democratic institutions, constitutional rights, and fundamental American liberties.”
According to Trump, the JTTF will look into “potential” offences involving the recruitment or radicalisation of individuals for such activities.
The task force has also been directed to focus on NGOs and US citizens abroad, or those linked with foreign governments, agents, citizens, foundations, or influence networks, who may be financing, establishing, or aiding groups that support or promote domestic terrorism through money laundering.
Trump emphasised that investigations should prioritise offences such as funding terrorism or otherwise enabling terrorist acts.
Rising Concerns Over ‘Anti-Christian’ Sentiments in Nigeria
The memo comes at a time when concerns are growing globally about “rising anti-Christian” actions in Nigeria.
In recent days, both Nigerian and American social media users have reignited discussions about an alleged genocide of Christians in the country.
Last month, reports claimed more Christians had been killed in Nigeria than Palestinians in Gaza since the beginning of 2025.
Cable Check, the fact-checking arm of TheCable, dismissed these reports as false. Still, such narratives have resurfaced in online debates.
Nigeria has consistently refuted these claims.
On Sunday, Mohammed Idris, minister of information and national orientation, described portraying the nation’s security challenges as a targeted attack on a particular religious group as a serious distortion of reality.
Idris condemned the claims as false, baseless, despicable, and divisive.