US President Donald Trump on Thursday officially designated Antifa as a "major terrorist organisation," only days after the assassination of his close friend and conservative activist Charlie Kirk.
"I am pleased to inform our many USA Patriots that I am designating Antifa, a sick, dangerous, radical left disaster, as a major terrorist organisation. 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!" Trump wrote in a post on his social media platform, Truth Social.
The president did not indicate the criteria that his administration would use in making such a designation, nor did he describe what consequences would ensue. Antifa, which generally describes itself as a left-wing, anti-fascist movement, has no known central organization or recognized leadership.
"I'll tell you something that's going to get me in trouble, but I couldn't care less. The radicals on the right oftentimes are radical because they don't want to see crime. The radicals on the left are the problem, and they're vicious and they're horrible and they're politically savvy," he said in an interview with Fox News.
While that was happening, Utah prosecutors on Tuesday charged the main suspect in Kirk's murder, Tyler Robinson, with aggravated murder and six other charges, saying they would pursue the death penalty.
Court documents uncovered that Robinson's mother informed the investigators her son had "become more political" over the past year, tending towards liberal philosophy and becoming "more pro-gay and trans-rights oriented." She also stated Robinson had started dating his roommate, who is a biological male transitioning to female.
Kirk, 31, was shot in the neck and killed while giving an address during a campus forum at Utah Valley University on September 10. Although taken to hospital, he died shortly later.
He was most famous as the creator of Turning Point USA (TPUSA), a right-wing student group he started in 2012 at the age of 18. With him at the helm, TPUSA became a political force to be reckoned with, spreading to over 800 chapters on US campuses. TPUSA spearheaded the mobilisation of young conservative voters, especially in the 2024 election, where it heavily contributed to Trump's successful re-election campaign.
Read also| Ex-US NSA Praises India as 'Proud and Strong,' Slams Trump’s Policy Towards New Delhi
