Key facts
- President Trump is expected to designate Palestine Action as a global terror group.
- The US has designated Palestine Action as a Specially Designated Global Terrorist.
- The group's promotion of terrorism on social media is cited as a reason for the designation.
- Sanctions will freeze the group's assets in the US and prohibit Americans from doing business with them.
- The UK previously banned Palestine Action as a terrorist organization in July 2025.
President Trump is reportedly preparing to designate the UK-based activist group Palestine Action as a global terrorist organization. The move comes amid concerns that the group has promoted its activities on social media, encouraging similar tactics internationally, including within the United States. The US has imposed sanctions on the group, designating it a Specially Designated Global Terrorist, according to a notice on the Treasury Department website. US officials stated that the group's promotion of "acts of terrorism" on social media encourages others to adopt direct action tactics overseas. This marks the first known case of a British left-wing group being subjected to US counter-terrorism sanctions. The sanctions will see the group's assets in the US frozen and Americans barred from doing business with them. The UK government banned Palestine Action as a terrorist organisation in July 2025. Since then, its co-founder, Huda Ammori, has fought to overturn the decision. In June 2026, the Court of Appeal quashed a High Court ruling that found the ban unlawful, and in July, the Supreme Court granted Ammori permission to appeal the decision. Since the ban was implemented, some 3,500 people have been arrested for allegedly supporting the group. Palestine Action has been active in the UK since October 2023, conducting a campaign of trespass, vandalism, and property damage against companies and buildings it claims are linked to "Zionism." Notable incidents include a ram-raid on the Horizon facility of Elbit Systems, an Israeli-owned arms company, in August 2024, where activists reportedly attacked police officers. In November of the same year, protesters stole busts and vandalized buildings at Manchester University, marking the anniversary of the Balfour Declaration. The group's American branch, Palestine Action US, was established with the aim of targeting and disrupting companies and defense contractors connected to Israel. This branch later rebranded in 2024 as Unity of Fields, transitioning from anti-weapons protests to what an official described as a "militant propaganda front" targeting the US government and its allies. Violations of US sanctions can lead to civil or criminal penalties for both US and foreign individuals and entities.