What Is Antifa? Why Trump Declared It a ‘Major Terrorist Organisation’ After Charlie Kirk Assassination

Washington: US President Donald Trump on Friday declared Antifa a “major terrorist organisation”, days after the assassination of right-wing political activist Charlie Kirk. 

In a social media post, Trump called Antifa “a sick, dangerous, radical left disaster and a major terrorist organisation.” He further added, “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.”    

But the big question remains: What is Antifa, and why did Trump designate it as a terrorist organisation shortly after the assassination of Charlie Kirk? 

What Is Antifa? 

Antifa, short for Anti-fascism, is an organisation with a decentralised network of activists opposing fascism, racism, and authoritarianism. The movement has no central leadership, membership rolls, or headquarters, making it difficult for authorities to regulate it under any law.

It is more of an ideology than a structured group, nurtured on US soil. State authorities are investigating the sources of funding for the anti-fascist Antifa movement. 

President Donald Trump on Thursday said the United States would find out where funding to the anti-fascist antifa movement was coming from, in comments made during an interview.

Antifa's Alleged Link to Charlie Kirk's Murder

After US President Donald Trump designated Antifa as a terrorist organisation, it is now being linked to the murder of activist Charlie Kirk but no direct or confirmed organisational connection has been established so far.

Kirk's assassin, Tyler Robinson, the 22-year-old suspect, reportedly confessed to the killing in a series of text messages recovered by federal agencies. He claimed to have planned the attack for over a week and expressed ideological motives.

These recovered text messages speculate about Robinson’s ties to far-left ideologies, with some online communities alleging links to Antifa or similar extremist groups.

The White House is reportedly preparing an executive order on political violence and hate speech. Meanwhile, Trump’s post on the social media platform Truth Social has once again stirred controversy within political circles over ideological extremism and domestic security.