U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio is planning to host an international summit on July 15 aimed at addressing a growing wave of political violence, according to a State Department official who spoke Thursday.
The event, being called the “ministerial on resurgence of political terrorism,” will take place in Washington. Rubio intends to invite representatives from more than 60 nations spanning the Western Hemisphere, Europe, and Asia, the official said.
The summit is a follow-up to a counterterrorism strategy that President Donald Trump signed in May. That strategy centers on identifying and neutralizing what the White House described as “violent, secular political groups whose ideology is anti-American, radically transgender or anarchist, such as Antifa.”
The State Department official, who requested anonymity, said the international community has fallen short in addressing this type of threat in recent years.
“Our counterterrorism operating system needs an update to deal with the reality of such threats, to protect American citizens and U.S. national security and interests,” the official stated.
The official clarified that American efforts are directed at activities that legally qualify as terrorism — including assassinations, kidnappings, violent threats against government institutions, facilities, and law enforcement, as well as attacks on critical infrastructure and military personnel.
The push for coordinated action gained momentum following the assassination of conservative activist Charlie Kirk in September, after which White House officials called for a unified response against unnamed left-wing organizations accused of encouraging violence.
The White House also noted that the U.S. strategy would extend to right-wing groups that incite violence as well.
