Trump Officially Designates Antifa As 'Domestic Terrorist' Group After Kirk's Killing

Last Updated:September 23, 2025, 09:16 IST

Trump signed an executive order labeling Antifa a domestic terrorist organization after Charlie Kirk's murder, sparking debate over protest rights and political violence in the US.

Trump’s order alleges that Antifa members use sophisticated tactics to hide their identities and funding sources, making them harder to track. (Image: AP/file photo)

US President Donald Trump on Monday signed an executive order designating the left-wing Antifa movement as a domestic terrorist organisation, citing its alleged role in promoting political violence and suppressing free speech. The move follows the assassination of conservative activist and Trump’s ally Charlie Kirk earlier this month.

According to the White House, Trump signed the order following the murder of Kirk, a vocal ally of the right, on a Utah university campus on September 10. The accused shooter, 22-year-old Tyler Robinson, reportedly told investigators that he targeted Kirk due to what he described as the “hatred" spread by the activist.

The executive order describes Antifa as a “militarist, anarchist organization" that aims to overthrow the US government. It also accuses the movement of using intimidation and violence to silence opposing views. Furthermore, the order grants federal authorities broad powers to act against anyone affiliated with Antifa or supporting it.

Antifa, short for “anti-fascist," is not a formal organization, but rather an umbrella term for decentralized far-left groups that oppose fascism, racism, and far-right ideologies. Critics have long questioned the feasibility of labeling such a loosely organized movement as a terrorist group, especially given its lack of centralized leadership or structure.

Trump’s order alleges that Antifa members use sophisticated tactics to hide their identities and funding sources, making them harder to track. It also accuses the movement of deliberately recruiting individuals to engage in disruptive acts.

This isn’t the first time Trump has linked Antifa to domestic unrest. During his presidency, he has blamed the group for violence at protests, including those during his 2017 inauguration and the 2017 Charlottesville counter-demonstrations. He has even suggested, without evidence, that Antifa was behind the January 6 Capitol riot—a claim widely disputed.

Critics of the designation warn that such actions could be used to suppress dissent and silence left-leaning activism. They point out that political violence in the US has come from both sides of the spectrum amid rising polarization and increasing access to firearms.

Antifa-aligned protestors, often dressed in black and masked, have been known to confront far-right groups at rallies and sometimes engage in aggressive tactics, which they claim are acts of self-defense. While the movement has roots in anti-Nazi activism in 1930s Europe, its modern form has been at the center of heated debate over protest rights and domestic extremism.

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