President Donald Trump Labels Antifa As ‘Major Terrorist Organisation’ Following Killing Of Conservative Activist

US President Donald Trump on Thursday (Indian time) officially designated Antifa as a ‘major terrorist organisation’, days after the fatal shooting of his close aide and right-wing activist Charlie Kirk.

Announcing the move on his social media platform, Truth Social, Trump wrote, “I am pleased to inform our many U.S.A. Patriots that I am designating ANTIFA, A SICK, DANGEROUS, RADICAL LEFT DISASTER, AS A MAJOR TERRORIST ORGANIZATION. I will also be strongly recommending that those funding ANTIFA be thoroughly investigated in accordance with the highest legal standards and practices. Thank you for your attention to this matter!”

The President did not provide details on the criteria used for the designation, nor specify what actions his administration might take against a left-leaning movement that lacks centralised leadership or a defined structure.

Last week, Trump repeatedly attributed rising political violence in the US to left-wing groups, including blaming them for the murder of conservative commentator Charlie Kirk.

In an interview with Fox News, Trump stated, “I’ll tell you something that’s going to get me in trouble, but I couldn’t care less. The radicals on the right oftentimes are radical because they don’t want to see crime. The radicals on the left are the problem, and they’re vicious and they’re horrible and they’re politically savvy.”

On Tuesday, Utah prosecutors charged Tyler Robinson, the principal accused in Kirk’s killing, with aggravated murder and six additional offences, announcing that they will seek the death penalty.

Prosecutors noted that Robinson’s mother told investigators that over the past year, he had become increasingly political, leaning more to the left and expressing pro-gay and trans-rights views.

She also mentioned that Robinson had started dating his roommate, a biological male transitioning to female.

Charlie Kirk Shooting

On 10 September, gunmen shot 31-year-old Charlie Kirk in the neck while he was delivering remarks at a Utah Valley University campus event. Medical teams rushed him to the hospital, but he died shortly after.

Kirk was the founder of Turning Point USA (TPUSA), the country’s leading conservative student organisation. He established the Arizona-based group in 2012 at the age of 18, expanding it into a network of over 800 chapters across US colleges.

TPUSA emerged as a major force in mobilising young conservative voters, particularly during the 2024 election, where it played a key role in supporting Trump’s re-election campaign.

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