Saturday, March 29, 2025
What Is the Antifa Movement, Declared a Terrorist Organization by Donald Trump, and How Is It Linked to Charlie Kirk?
Washington, September 18, 2025 — U.S. President Donald Trump has officially declared the Antifa movement a terrorist organization, a move that comes just days after the assassination of his close ally, conservative activist Charlie Kirk.
Posting on his social media platform, Truth Social, Trump wrote:
“I am pleased to inform all my fellow American patriots that I am designating Antifa, a sick, dangerous, radical leftist plague, as a major terrorist organization. Anyone funding Antifa will face strict legal action and full investigation under the highest standards of law.”
Antifa is short for anti-fascist. It refers to a loose collection of left-wing, anti-fascist groups and activists who oppose far-right extremism, racism, and discrimination. While many Antifa supporters use nonviolent methods such as posters, banners, and public demonstrations, some factions have resorted to more aggressive tactics — including digital activism, doxxing, harassment, property damage, and occasional physical violence.
Antifa activists often appear at far-right rallies to stage counter-protests. They are known to use social media, encrypted peer-to-peer networks, and apps like Signal to coordinate activities. Their most recognizable symbol combines the red flag of the 1917 Russian Revolution with the black flag of 19th-century anarchists.
The declaration comes in the shadow of the tragic killing of Charlie Kirk, co-founder of the conservative organization Turning Point USA and a close Trump ally. Kirk, 31, was shot in the neck on September 10 while speaking at an event at Utah Valley University. His attacker, Tyler Robinson, fled the scene but was later arrested.
Earlier this week, Stephen Miller, White House Deputy Chief of Staff, revealed that the final message Kirk sent him urged the administration to take decisive action against “radical left groups inciting violence.” Speaking on The Charlie Kirk Show podcast, hosted by Vice President J.D. Vance, Miller vowed that the federal government would use “every available resource” to dismantle such groups.
Trump praised Kirk after his death, calling him “a legend” and a patriot.
This is not Trump’s first move against Antifa. Nearly five years ago, in May 2020, he had also demanded that the movement be classified as a terrorist organization. However, that push did not receive formal approval at the time.
With the latest designation, the Biden-era debates about Antifa have been reignited, now under Trump’s renewed presidency — this time fueled by the political fallout of Kirk’s assassination and Trump’s broader crackdown on left-wing activism.
