On Monday evening’s The 11th Hour, MSNBC’s very personal Jason Johnson made the extremely logical conclusion that everybody who was not in favor of fascism needs to be grouped beneath the identical label as those that trigger violent riots within the identify of Antifa. This was in response to the Trump administration’s current actions taken in opposition to the terrorist community.
In fact, Stephanie Ruhle’s stand-in, Antonia Hylton, couldn’t begin with out first minimizing the importance of the riotous clan: “It is value reminding viewers that Trump designated Antifa, which isn’t an precise group, as a home terrorist group with an Govt Order…”
It’s atypical, shapeless (not formless), and hides amongst the shadows in-between incursions. That doesn’t imply it doesn’t exist.
Hylton’s first try at fear-mongering got here by the use of asking Johnson to attach the dots:
In order you hear administration officers begin utilizing that phrase an entire lot extra, there’s the Govt Order, there’s that roundtable. Jason, what is the goal of all of this? Are they making an attempt to put the groundwork for one thing?
Sure, and it’s known as regulation and order. After 4 years of Biden, accountable governance feels like such a overseas idea.
The political contributor replied with maybe essentially the most ludicrous response attainable, evaluating them to canine lovers:
The concept of going after Antifa is like saying we’re going after canine lovers. Who does not love canine? When you’re a United States citizen, proper? And you want democracy, then you do not like fascism. Everyone who loves democracy is technically Antifa.
And each male who loves America was a Proud Boy. And each navy member and congressman was an Oath Keeper. Oh wait, that’d be mislabeling. Id politics has formally backfired right into a self-denying enigma.
Johnson additional misappropriated the blood-stained moniker: “So the concept they’re ‘going after’ Antifa, they are going after the core of what makes People. These are simply phrases that this administration makes as much as justify their authoritarian encroachment.”
How unimaginatively flawed. America’s system of self-governance was constructed on the concept electors entrust accountability to delegated officers to create and implement the regulation. Fascists take energy by pressure — nearly like… Antifa?
Hylton once more lulled Johnson into alarmist territory in an try to scare viewers:
HYLTON: However, Jason, for people who find themselves planning to go to those rallies, after they hear the administration begin to use this phrase to label individuals who may seem, protest peacefully on Saturday that they are going to label them as terrorists. And we all know from reporting that this administration is taking a look at invoking the Rebel Act. Ought to folks be afraid proper now?
JOHNSON: No extra afraid than anyone in journalism when he stated we are the enemies of the state. Look, that is an administration that threatens everyone. When you reply to threats prematurely, then they’ve already received. […] If we enable this administration to label all the things an enemy of the state, if we enable this administration to label what are common, recognized Constitutional rights as “threats” to this nation, or threats to his explicit energy, then this administration’s already received.
No, MSNBC simply didn’t wish to admit that a big, far-left group was immediately accountable for harmful, politically-motivated habits. In a time when all political violence was universally condemned (supposedly), the one technique to elude blame is to disclaim that it even exists.
And sure, Antonia, those that have participated in disturbing the peace and illicit exercise needs to be afraid.
The transcript is under. Click on “increase” learn:
MSNBC’s The 11th Hour with Stephanie Ruhle
October 13, 2025
11:41:42 p.m. EST
(…)
ANTONIA HYLTON: So, we’ve the No Kings rallies developing throughout the nation this coming Saturday. And the Speaker, Mike Johnson, has been describing the rally deliberate for Saturday as a “hate America rally” that will draw “the pro-Hamas wing” and “the [A]ntifa folks.”
It is value reminding viewers that Trump designated Antifa, which isn’t an precise group, as a home terrorist group with an Govt Order that stated, “Antifa is a militarist, anarchist enterprise that explicitly requires the overthrow of the US Authorities, regulation enforcement authorities, and our system of regulation. […] Due to the aforementioned sample of political violence designed to suppress lawful political exercise [and] impede the rule of regulation, I hereby designate Antifa a home terrorist group.”
And simply final week, Trump held an Antifa roundtable on the White Home. Jason, take heed to this.
[Cuts to video]
PRES. DONALD TRUMP [on 10/08/25]: We’ve got a really critical left-wing terror menace in our nation. Radicals related to the home terror group Antifa. [Transition] They’ve been very threatening to folks, however we’ll be very threatening to them, way more threatening to them than they ever had been with us. And that features the those who fund them. [Transition] We’re going after Antifa criminals, and all who fund and assist their campaigns are in deep trouble. And we’ve plenty of data already. [Transition] These are those who do not need good intentions for the nation, and that is treasonous.
[Cuts back to live]
HYLTON: In order you hear administration officers begin utilizing that phrase an entire lot extra, there’s the Govt Order, there’s that roundtable. Jason, what is the goal of all of this? Are they making an attempt to put the groundwork for one thing?
JASON JOHNSON: Properly, they don’t seem to be laying the groundwork, they’re doing it already. They’ve already launched, basically, a secret police pressure, you recognize, barely armed non-identified officers leaping out of vans and kidnapping folks. That is what we have already got occurring with ICE. So this is not laying the groundwork, that is paving one thing and portray over a avenue that is already been laid down.
However I feel it is vital to recollect, identical to we won’t name Tish James or Comey foes of Trump — they don’t seem to be foes, they’re simply folks dwelling their lives. The concept of going after Antifa is like saying we’re going after canine lovers. Who does not love canine? When you’re a United States citizen, proper? And you want democracy, then you do not like fascism. Everyone who loves democracy is technically Antifa.
So the concept they’re “going after” Antifa, they are going after the core of what makes People. These are simply phrases that this administration makes as much as justify their authoritarian encroachment. So –
[Crosstalk]
JOHNSON: — I’m not stunned by what they’re doing.
HYLTON: However, Jason, for people who find themselves planning to go to those rallies, after they hear the administration begin to use this phrase to label individuals who may seem, protest peacefully on Saturday that they are going to label them as terrorists. And we all know from reporting that this administration is taking a look at invoking the Rebel Act. Ought to folks be afraid proper now?
JOHNSON: No extra afraid than anyone in journalism when he stated we are the enemies of the state. Look, that is an administration that threatens everyone. When you reply to threats prematurely, then they’ve already received.
So folks have a proper to protest. They need to exit and protest safely and peacefully as a lot as they’ll. They need to look out for provocateurs and infiltrators inside these protests. People must preserve dwelling the democratic lives and norms that we have already had. If we enable this administration to label all the things an enemy of the state, if we enable this administration to label what are common, recognized Constitutional rights as “threats” to this nation, or threats to his explicit energy, then this administration’s already received.
(…)
