New Delhi | September 18, 2025 — U.S. President Donald Trump on Thursday announced that his administration would designate the Antifa movement as a terrorist organisation, citing the recent assassination of right-wing political activist Charlie Kirk as a catalyst for the move.
In a post on his Truth Social platform, President Trump described Antifa as a “sick, dangerous, and radical left disaster,” adding that he would recommend a full investigation into individuals and groups allegedly funding the movement.
“Those funding Antifa will be thoroughly investigated in accordance with the highest legal standards and practices,” Trump wrote.
Antifa—short for “anti-fascists”—is a loosely connected network of far-left militant groups that often mobilise against neo-Nazis and far-right demonstrators. It does not have a formal hierarchy or central leadership, according to the Associated Press.
Earlier this week, senior White House officials indicated plans to dismantle what they described as a “vast domestic terror movement” linked to Kirk’s killing. Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller told Al Jazeera that the administration intends 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 marks a significant escalation in the Trump administration’s longstanding campaign against Antifa. In 2020, then-FBI Director Christopher Wray testified that Antifa was “an ideology, not an organisation,” noting that the movement lacked the structured hierarchy typically required for terrorist designation under U.S. law. Similarly, a 2019 Senate resolution condemned violent acts attributed to Antifa but stopped short of granting it formal terrorist status.
The latest announcement, however, suggests a more aggressive federal crackdown. Multiple administration officials have signalled that Kirk’s assassination has reinforced their belief in a coordinated left-wing effort to incite political violence, CNN reported.
The decision has drawn sharp criticism from Democratic lawmakers, who accuse President Trump of attempting to suppress dissent and stifle opposing viewpoints under the guise of national security.
Meanwhile, Trump has doubled down on his stance, celebrating media coverage that highlighted his administration’s response to the killing.
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