US will focus counterterrorism efforts on left-wing groups, Rubio says

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced a shift in international counterterrorism efforts, stating the US will now prioritize "far-left terror" at a conference with over 60 countries in Washington. Rubio argued that while Islamic militancy is "severely diminished," left-wing violence has been a "blind spot" and needs a rebuilt counterterrorism architecture. The Trump administration has already designated four European groups as Foreign Terrorist Organizations and plans more. This refocus has drawn criticism from Democratic lawmakers who question the evidence and view the move as politicizing counterterrorism, potentially targeting lawful protests. They urged the Department to return to a "definitionally apolitical, data-driven, and rooted in reality" approach. Latvian Foreign Minister Baiba Braze noted the conference also addressed threats from Russia-backed groups and the role of technology in radicalization across various ideologies.