Trump declares Antifa a ‘major terrorist organization’ after Charlie Kirk’s murder
Washington (The Uttam Hindu): US President Donald Trump on Thursday declared Antifa a major terrorist organization. The announcement came days after the murder of his close aide and right-wing political activist Charlie Kirk. In a post on his social media platform, Truth Social, Trump wrote, "I am pleased to inform all my fellow American patriots that I am declaring Antifa, a sick, dangerous, radical left-wing organization, a major terrorist organization. I also strongly recommend that those funding Antifa be thoroughly investigated according to the highest legal standards and procedures. Thank you for your attention to this matter!"
Trump did not clarify what criteria his administration would use for this characterization and what steps it would take to target the left-leaning movement. Antifa appears to have no centralized structure or defined leadership. Last week, the US president repeatedly blamed the organization for rising political violence in the country, including the murder of conservative commentator Charlie Kirk.
In an interview with media he said, "I'll tell you something that could get me in trouble but I don't care. Right-wing extremists are often extremists because they don't want to see crime. Left-wing extremists are the problem and they are cruel, they are terrible and they are politically astute."
On Tuesday, Utah prosecutors charged Tyler Robinson, the primary suspect in Kirk's killing with murder and six other counts. They announced they would seek the death penalty. According to prosecutors, Robinson's mother told investigators that Robinson had become more political over the past year and had become more supportive of gay and transgender rights.
The document also states that the mother reported that Robinson had begun dating her roommate, who was a biological male and was transitioning to a woman. Kirk, 31 was delivering a speech at Utah Valley University on September 10 when he was shot in the neck. He was rushed to the hospital but died shortly thereafter.