White House Budget Reveals Trump Admin's Push to Label Political Opposition 'Terrorism'

New FBI center aims to 'counter domestic terrorism and organized political violence' by monitoring anti-capitalist, anti-Christian, and other left-wing views.

Apr. 7, 2026 at 4:12pm

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A fragmented, geometric painting depicts a silhouetted figure in a business suit with their hands raised, representing the concept of government surveillance and crackdown on political dissent. The painting is composed of overlapping waves of muted grays, blacks, and navy blues, creating a sense of motion and unease.A fractured, avant-garde painting captures the unsettling expansion of government surveillance and potential infringement on free speech.Penn Today

President Donald Trump's new budget proposal includes $12.5 billion for the FBI to invest in counterterrorism efforts, including the creation of a new center to monitor and disrupt 'domestic terrorists' - a term the administration has broadly defined to encompass left-wing, anti-capitalist, and anti-Christian views. The budget document describes social media and encrypted communications as tools used by 'domestic terrorists' to 'recruit new adherents' and 'plan and rally support for in-person actions'.

Why it matters

This budget proposal and the administration's previous directives like NSPM-7 represent a concerning expansion of government surveillance and crackdown on political dissent, with the potential to severely undermine First Amendment rights. The administration's focus on left-wing groups as the primary 'domestic terrorism' threat contradicts data showing right-wing extremists have carried out far more deadly attacks in recent decades.

The details

The budget proposal explains that as a result of NSPM-7, a directive signed last September, the FBI recently created the NSPM-7 Joint Mission Center (JMC), which is run by personnel from 10 federal agencies. The JMC is tasked with 'countering domestic terrorism and organized political violence by integrating intelligence operational support, and financial analysis to proactively identify networks and prosecute domestic terrorist and related criminal actors.' The budget document describes social media platforms and encrypted communications apps as being used by 'domestic terrorists' to 'recruit new adherents, plan and rally support for in-person actions, and disseminate materials encouraging radicalization and mobilization to violence.'

  • President Trump signed NSPM-7 in September 2025.
  • The FBI created the NSPM-7 Joint Mission Center in early 2026.

The players

Rep. Mary Gay Scanlon

A Democratic congresswoman from Pennsylvania who has spoken out about NSPM-7 and the administration's efforts to label political opposition as 'domestic terrorism'.

Ken Klippenstein

An independent journalist who reported on the details of Trump's budget proposal regarding the new FBI center focused on 'domestic terrorism'.

Kash Patel

The FBI Director who told Congress that anyone who used the Discord channels used by Tyler Robinson, who was accused of killing right-wing activist Charlie Kirk, would be investigated by the agency.

Tyler Robinson

An individual accused of killing right-wing activist Charlie Kirk, an event that Trump explicitly blamed on left-wing groups without evidence.

Charlie Kirk

A right-wing activist whose assassination was blamed by Trump on left-wing groups without evidence.

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What they’re saying

“If anyone can be labeled a domestic terrorist for speech opposing this administration, our First Amendment rights are under grave threat.”

— Rep. Mary Gay Scanlon, Democratic Congresswoman

“If your political views are practically anything other than MAGA, you're on notice, courtesy of the FBI.”

— Ken Klippenstein, Independent Journalist

What’s next

The FBI's domestic terrorism watchlist, which as of last September listed about 5,000 US citizens, is reportedly 'growing' as a result of the administration's efforts to expand surveillance and crackdown on perceived political opposition.

The takeaway

This budget proposal and the administration's previous directives represent a concerning expansion of government surveillance and potential infringement on First Amendment rights, with a disproportionate focus on monitoring and disrupting left-wing, anti-capitalist, and anti-Christian views despite data showing right-wing extremists have carried out far more deadly attacks in recent decades.