News Brief
Trump Designates 'Antifa' A Terrorist Organisation After Charlie Kirk’s Assassination; Orders Funding Probe
US President Donald Trump (File Photo)
US President Donald Trump on Thursday (18 September) announced that he is designating the Antifa movement as a terrorist organisation, a decision made in the aftermath of right-wing political activist Charlie Kirk’s assassination, News 18 reported.
In a post on Truth Social, Trump described Antifa as a “sick, dangerous, and radical left disaster.”
He further said, “I will also be strongly recommending that those funding ANTIFA be thoroughly investigated in accordance with the highest legal standards and practices.”
What is Antifa
Antifa, short for “anti-fascists,” is not a single group but an umbrella term for far-left militant networks that mobilise against fascists and neo-Nazis, particularly at demonstrations, according to the Associated Press.
Earlier this week, senior White House officials pledged to dismantle what they called a “vast domestic terror movement” linked to Kirk’s killing.
White House deputy chief of staff Stephen Miller stated the administration is “going to channel all of the anger that we have over the organised campaign that led to this assassination, to uproot and dismantle these terrorist networks.”
The move comes despite previous challenges to classifying Antifa as a terrorist entity.
He also noted the lack of hierarchical structure that typically underpins federal terror designations.
This is not the first attempt to classify Antifa under such terms.
In July 2019, a US Senate resolution was introduced seeking to condemn Antifa’s violent acts and designate it as a domestic terror organisation.
Since Kirk’s assassination, several administration officials have reiterated their intent to pursue what they describe as a coordinated left-wing effort to incite violence. However, the initiative has faced criticism.
Some Democrats argue the administration is using the terror designation as a pretext to suppress dissent, with reports highlighting concerns that it could be employed to target opposing viewpoints.
