WASHINGTON (Reuters) — The Trump administration is organizing an international summit focused on countering the left-wing movement antifa and other groups, three sources familiar with the matter said, an effort that highlights the shift in the US government’s counterterrorism priorities over the past year.

The conference, tentatively planned for June or July, will convene officials from various nations to discuss strategies for battling antifa and encourage intelligence sharing, said the sources, who requested anonymity as they were not authorized to speak to the media.

US President Donald Trump has portrayed antifa as a severe threat to the US.

Counterterrorism experts argue it does not exist as an organized entity, though people claiming affinity to antifa have been involved in armed attacks in the US.

Among the officials organizing the event is Under Secretary of State for Arms Control and International Security Thomas DiNanno, said two of the people.

In response to requests for comment, spokespeople for the White House and State Department both described antifa as a major security concern for the Trump administration.

“The anarchists, Marxists, and violent extremists of antifa have waged a terror campaign in the United States and across the Western world for decades, carrying out bombings, beatings, shootings, and riots in service of their extreme agenda,” said Tommy Pigott, the State Department’s principal deputy spokesman.

A question of priorities

The planned event has raised concerns among some current and former officials, who argue that the summit would be a distraction when the US faces threats from Iran-sponsored terror groups driven by the war in the Middle East.

“I am just skeptical that now, with everything going on, when you see the number of plots being put together by Iran and Hezbollah, that there really is a compelling need to spend limited counterterrorism resources on the antifa threat right now,” said Michael Jacobson, who was the director of strategy, plans and initiatives for the State Department’s Counterterrorism Bureau until 2025. Now,........

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