Far-left anti-Trump influencer Brian Krassenstein may have turned another social-media stunt into a potential legal nightmare after appearing to claim that he donated money to a newly designated terrorist organization.
Assistant Secretary of State for Global Public Affairs Dylan Johnson issued a blistering warning after Krassenstein allegedly posted, and then deleted, the message, “Donated thanks.”
“Donating money to a specially designated global terrorist is a federal crime,” Johnson wrote on X.
“You can be prosecuted and sentenced to 20 years in federal prison and fined up to $1 million. So, maybe talk to a lawyer before listening to this moron.”
Donating money to a specially designated global terrorist is a federal crime.
You can be prosecuted and sentenced to 20 years in federal prison and fined up to $1 million.
So, maybe talk to a lawyer before listening to this moron. https://t.co/n4J5RR0a0Y
— Dylan Johnson (@ASDylanJohnson) August 26, 2026
Johnson later posted a screenshot of Krassenstein’s alleged deleted message and demanded answers.
“Why did @krassenstein tweet (and then delete) that he donated to a designated terrorist organization?” Johnson asked.
Why did @krassenstein tweet (and then delete) that he donated to a designated terrorist organization? https://t.co/7Lnhhgqjw7 pic.twitter.com/IhVhl89TmP
— Dylan Johnson (@ASDylanJohnson) August 26, 2026
After posting, “Donated, thanks,” the far-left troll quickly backtracked and urged his supporters to hold off on making donations.
“Update: please hold off on the donations as the Authoritarian regime will use it to have you arrested. Hold your money until the designation is officially removed (which it almost certainly will be) and then donate double,” he wrote.
Update: please hold off on the donations as the Authoritarian regime will use it to have you arrested. Hold your money until the designation is officially removed (which it almost certainly will be) and then donate double.
— Brian Krassenstein (@krassenstein) August 26, 2026
Krassenstein’s post came after the Trump administration designated the Italy-based Autistici/Inventati, or A/I Collective, as a Specially Designated Global Terrorist.
As The Gateway Pundit previously reported, the State Department accused the far-left collective of operating sophisticated digital infrastructure for violent Antifa cells and other extremist organizations.
Secretary Marco Rubio announced on X:
“Far-left terrorism poses a profound threat to the United States and the broader West. Today, the United States sanctioned several transnational far-left terrorist networks, including Autistici/Inventati – a major far-left tech collective whose services are used by the most active and violent Antifa cells in the United States and across the world.
There will be no refuge for violent extremists who wage war on our civilization and plot to undermine law and order, destroy critical infrastructure, assault political opponents, or conspire to conceal their crimes from authorities. We will use all the tools and authorities at our disposal to fight terrorism and protect our way of life from terrorist coercion.”
Far-left terrorism poses a profound threat to the United States and the broader West. Today, the United States sanctioned several transnational far-left terrorist networks, including Autistici/Inventati – a major far-left tech collective whose services are used by the most active…
— Secretary Marco Rubio (@SecRubio) August 26, 2026
According to the Trump administration, A/I provides encrypted email, secure chats, web hosting, video-conferencing systems, anonymity tools, and other digital services to violent left-wing networks operating in the United States and Europe.
The Treasury Department said the collective exclusively provides services to ideologically aligned groups, including the Kurdistan Workers’ Party, or PKK, a designated terrorist organization responsible for thousands of deaths.
Treasury designated A/I under Executive Order 13224 for allegedly providing material and technological support connected to terrorism.
The designation blocks the group’s property and financial interests under American jurisdiction and generally prohibits US persons from conducting transactions with it.
Under 50 U.S.C. § 1705, a willful violation of applicable sanctions can carry a fine of up to $1 million and a prison sentence of up to 20 years.
Krassenstein subsequently denied that he had actually completed a donation. He claimed he was not “falling into” Johnson’s “trap,” but vowed to raise money for A/I if the terrorist designation is removed.
Read his full statement below:
Krassenstein: This is what they stand for.
What do you stand for?
Do they sound like terrorists to you or perhaps the people banning them and intimidating those who support them are the terrorists.:
“A/I was born over 20 years ago to provide internet support (through website hosting, e-mail accounts, mailing lists, chat, blogs, and much more) to activists and collectives coming from the world of grassroot and social movements. Our principles are fairly straightforward: the world should not be run on money, should be rooted in solidarity, community, mutual help, equal rights and freedom, and social justice. Easy, isn’t it? We support individuals, collectives, communities and groups whose political and social activities fit within this worldview and who share with us some fundamental principles: anti-fascism, anti-racism, anti-sexism, anti-militarism.
On top of that, one has to share our basic attitude towards money and the capitalistic world: a deep feeling of uneasyness and unrest. Our resources live thanks to the donations of the community who uses them. The work the collective does to keep it all running is strictly voluntary. We don’t host commercial projects, that we are sure will find more suitable servers than ours. We don’t host institutions and political parties that should be able to run their own servers with the money they have instead of preying a self-managed and voluntary-run network like ours.”
An No I didn’t donate to them. I’m not falling into your trap now that it’s official, but as soon as the designation is removed (which it will be) I will raise as much money as I possible can for them. That’s a promise.
This is what they stand for.
What do you stand for?
Do they sound like terrorists to you or perhaps the people banning them and intimidating those who support them are the terrorists.:
“A/I was born over 20 years ago to provide internet support (through website…
— Brian Krassenstein (@krassenstein) August 26, 2026
This is the same Brian Krassenstein who previously declared “I am ANTIFA” after President Trump moved against far-left domestic terrorism.
The same Krassenstein brothers who spent years as professional #Resistance reply guys, got banned from Twitter for operating fake accounts, and had hundreds of thousands of dollars seized by federal investigators years ago in a civil forfeiture case tied to online investment schemes.
No criminal charges were filed, but the pattern is familiar: loud, reckless, and always certain the rules don’t apply to them.
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