Sen. Adam Schiff warned on MSNBC that President Donald Trump could potentially use military force against domestic groups.
During an appearance on MSNBC’s “All In,” host Chris Hayes brought up the administration’s recent move labeling Tren de Aragua, a Venezuelan gang, as a narco-terrorist organization.
He noted that Attorney General Pam Bondi compared Antifa to drug cartels, declaring that the government would treat them similarly under federal law.
Hayes questioned whether such a classification might give the president the authority to use military action within U.S. borders.
Schiff said the attorney general’s comments raised serious questions about how far the administration might go.
He warned that Trump’s rhetoric about “enemies within” could be used to justify future actions against Americans.
“It should catch all of our attention because if you look at where this started, it started with blowing up ships,” Schiff said.
He continued that with the president’s escalation to “land targets now in Venezuela or elsewhere,” and the attorney general’s statements, the concern becomes whether domestic groups could also be targeted.
Schiff added, “You cannot exclude the possibility that the next stage of this is to go after groups closer to home, or even here at home.”
The California Democrat accused the administration of abusing its authority, alleging the president had already “misused” military power in American cities.
He referenced Trump’s comments to military leaders describing domestic unrest as a “training ground,” arguing that such language sets a dangerous precedent.
Meanwhile, President Trump said Wednesday that he intends to designate Antifa as a foreign terrorist organization.
NOW – Trump will classify Antifa a foreign terrorist organization. pic.twitter.com/Em4cvJP5WH
— Disclose.tv (@disclosetv) October 8, 2025
The statement came during a roundtable discussion with independent journalists including Jack Posobiec and Nick Sortor, who have covered Antifa-related demonstrations extensively.
When asked by reporters if he would take such a step, Trump replied, “Well, has that been done? Pretty close, right? Would you like to see it done?”
Posobiec responded enthusiastically, saying, “Yes, Mr. President.” He added that Antifa “has foreign links all across Western Europe, the Middle East.”
Trump turned to Secretary of State Marco Rubio and said, “We’ll take care of it.”
Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller agreed, noting, “There are extensive foreign ties, and I think that would be a very valid step to take.”
🚨BREAKING: President Trump tells @NickSortor to give Pam Bondi info on the people who BURNED the American Flag that he rescued in Portland!
TRUMP: "Do you know who the man is?"
SORTOR: "Yes, I do!"
TRUMP: "Give Pam the information so we can start the PROSECUTIONS!" pic.twitter.com/z5JsiQBbAs
— The Patriot Oasis™ (@ThePatriotOasis) October 8, 2025
During the meeting, Sortor displayed a partially burned American flag that he said he saved from an Antifa protest in Portland.
He told the president he knew who had set the flag on fire, prompting Trump to instruct him to provide the details to Attorney General Bondi to “start prosecutions.”
Elsewhere on Capitol Hill, Democratic Sen. Jeff Merkley of Oregon accused the federal government of orchestrating fake riots to justify using the Insurrection Act.
Speaking to reporters, Merkley claimed that federal agents in Portland intentionally escalated conflicts to provoke violence after a judge ruled that Trump could not deploy the Oregon National Guard.
“This is the first time I know of, at least in my lifetime, that the federal government has faked a riot in order to try to justify the Insurrection Act being invoked,” Merkley said.
Merkley also alleged that Trump attempted to deploy the California National Guard to Portland after being blocked from using Oregon troops.
In a Facebook post, Merkley wrote that the president was “trying to incite riots and violence” and called the move “un-American” and “authoritarianism, plain and simple.”
California Governor Gavin Newsom echoed Merkley’s outrage when Trump ordered National Guard and Marine units into Los Angeles during protests against Immigration and Customs Enforcement earlier in the summer.
Donald Trump is behaving like a tyrant, not a President.
By turning the military against American citizens, he is threatening the very core of our democracy.
I’m asking the court to immediately block these unlawful actions. https://t.co/WN11SGXrld pic.twitter.com/rh1okkamhN
— Governor Gavin Newsom (@CAgovernor) June 10, 2025
“The federal government is turning the military against American citizens,” Newsom said. “This is unprecedented and threatens the very core of our democracy.”
