US President Donald Trump on Thursday announced that he is designating Antifa as a terrorist organisation, citing what he described as its role in political violence following the killing of conservative activist Charlie Kirk.Posting on Truth Social, the President 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 move comes as 22-year-old Tyler Robinson was charged with Kirk’s murder in Utah. Robinson’s links to Antifa are already fuelling speculation online. Investigators have noted that bullet casings recovered from the scene carried anti-fascist slogans, including the words “Hey fascist! Catch!” and references to Bella Ciao, an Italian resistance song.According to the FBI, Robinson also admitted in a Discord group that he killed Kirk and had previously written a note declaring his intention to do so. Agents have not ruled out whether others were aware of his plans.CNN reported that Trump had previously floated the idea of labelling Antifa as domestic terrorists, saying in the Oval Office that “It’s something I would do, yeah” if he found support from Cabinet officials and the Justice Department. Although Antifa is a loosely organised movement without central leadership or membership, Trump insisted he was prepared to take action.The President has also raised the prospect of using racketeering laws to pursue left-wing groups, telling Attorney General Pam Bondi to examine whether RICO charges could be applied. “They should be put in jail, what they’re doing to this country is really subversive,” he said, according to CNN.Deputy chief of staff Stephen Miller backed the President’s remarks, claiming a “network of organisations” were funding violence, including Black Lives Matter demonstrations. “The key point the president has been making is somebody is paying for all of this … they will now be criminally liable for paying for violence,” Miller said.Democrats have pushed back, accusing Trump of using the Kirk case as a pretext to clamp down on dissent. But Trump has remained defiant, arguing that the “radical left causes tremendous violence” while dismissing concerns about right-wing threats.
