American Atheists has issued a stark warning that is resonating across a diverse coalition of US organisations, including pagan, secular, progressive, and LGBTQIA+ groups. The concern stems from what critics describe as a concerted effort by the federal government to define "domestic terrorism" in dangerously broad terms, potentially encompassing any group perceived as opposing the administration.

The advocacy group highlighted recent developments, noting that the Trump administration designated the anti-fascist movement "antifa" as a domestic terrorist organisation in September. This move was followed by a House Homeland Security Committee hearing where a senior FBI official could not answer basic questions about what he termed "the most immediate violent threat" to the nation.

Simultaneously, a memo from US Attorney General Pam Bondi has come to light, directing the Department of Justice and law enforcement agencies to compile a list of so-called domestic terrorists. The criteria for inclusion are sweeping, citing groups that advance "radical gender ideology, anti-Americanism, anti-capitalism, or anti-Christianity." The memo also calls for establishing a public tip line and a cash reward system for information leading to arrests.

Legal experts and civil liberties advocates warn that Bondi's directive represents a dramatic escalation. They argue it is an executive effort not merely to restrict, but to criminalise, protected free speech and freedom of association. The vague terminology, they contend, could be used to target a wide array of legitimate political and social advocacy organisations.

Adding to the controversy, hundreds of former Department of Justice employees this week signed an open letter accusing the Trump administration of "destroying" the department's Civil Rights Division. This confluence of events has created a climate of profound unease among many who see an alarming pattern of conflating political dissent with terrorism.