We’ve seen the 2016 anti-Trump rallies, the 2020 George Floyd riots, and the ongoing anti-ICE protests in blue cities since President Trump started trying to clean up the illegal immigration disaster left by former President Joe Biden.
There’s been one constant: Antifa.
The group, whose name is short for anti-fascist, is known for their menacing black outfits, complete with masks, and their often violent behavior. They show up as if by magic the moment a demonstration breaks out, and they’re not there to keep the peace.
But where does their funding come from? Who’s behind it?
FBI Director Kash Patel wanted to know, so he’s been investigating it — and he says the bureau has found some answers:
FBI Director Kash Patel said Wednesday that investigators have uncovered what he described as major funding streams tied to antifa.
The revelation signaled possible new enforcement action as the bureau intensified scrutiny of left-wing violence, according to a report from the Washington Examiner.
Speaking on "The Dan Bongino Show," Patel said the FBI under President Donald Trump has been conducting a financial investigation into how demonstrations linked to the loosely organized far left movement are supported.
Watch:
This @FBI is following the money.
— FBI Director Kash Patel (@FBIDirectorKash) February 18, 2026
Whether it’s ANTIFA or any other violent criminal organization - we know their operations don’t exist alone, they operate with heavy funding streams.
We’re finding them and those who fund their criminal activity. @dbongino pic.twitter.com/37pAHATufA
By the way, all those who think that Bongino left his job as FBI Deputy Director on bad terms would be hard-pressed to explain why then Patel would appear on his show.
MORE: Bongino Announces He Will Step Down From FBI: Gratitude to Trump, Patel, and America
President Trump Makes It Official: Antifa Are Domestic Terrorists
The director continued, saying they’ve identified some culprits, but they're not ready to reveal their identities just yet:
"These organizations don’t operate alone or in silence," Patel said. "They operate with a heavy, heavy stream of funding.
And we started looking into it, and guess what? We found them."
Patel did not identify specific donors, organizations, or financial mechanisms, but said more details could emerge in the coming months as the investigation continues.
"Money doesn’t lie," he added. He also smacked former Presidents Barack Obama and Joe Biden for ignoring the violent activists and calling the decentralized group "an idea." "It’s not an idea when actual action follows the idea," he chided them.
Here’s what that “idea” looks like in the real world, Barack and Joe:
Violent Portland Antifa rioter Robert Jacob Hoopes has pleaded guilty to felony aggravated assault of a federal employee with a dangerous weapon resulting in bodily injury. Hoopes hurled a rock at an agent's head during an attack on the ICE facility in June. A public safety…
— Andy Ngo (@MrAndyNgo) February 19, 2026
A public safety director at @Reed_College cooperated with the FBI investigation to identify Hoopes. In response, the college fired the man, and leftists in public denounced him.
Currently, nine anti-ICE have been charged with ambushing an ICE officer in Texas and wounding him with gunfire. A federal judge declared a mistrial Tuesday, but that was because the defense lawyer was wearing a politically charged T-shirt, about as dumb a thing as you could do as a trial attorney. We'll see where that goes next.
Patel said he had elevated the issue internally, and they're working hard on their case, but he did not announce any new imminent DOJ charges. Let’s hope that changes in the near future.
Editor’s Note: Progressive zealots are increasingly resorting to violence and terrorism because they failed at the ballot box.
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