In the wake of Turning Point USA founder Charlie Kirk’s assassination last week, former President Donald Trump issued a forceful warning to left-wing activist groups, signaling a hardline approach toward political violence in the United States.
Speaking from the Oval Office on Monday, Trump reiterated his intention to label ANTIFA as a domestic terror organization, emphasizing accountability for the violence he says the decentralized group and similar outfits have long incited. The former president also indicated that federal law enforcement officials, including Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents, would have broader latitude in defending themselves against attacks while on duty.
According to a report by The Center Square, Trump’s remarks followed a question from a reporter regarding whether he would formally designate ANTIFA as a terror entity. “I would do that 100 percent, and others also, by the way, but ANTIFA is terrible,” Trump said, highlighting his ongoing concern over the group’s activities.
Trump added that he has been consulting with former Attorney General Pam Bondi about pursuing charges under the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations (RICO) Act against ANTIFA and similar organizations. “There are other groups, yeah, there are other groups. We have some pretty radical groups, and they got away with murder,” he said. “I’ve been speaking to the attorney general about bringing RICO against some of the people that you’ve been reading about that have been putting up millions and millions of dollars for agitation.”
The former president characterized the violent activity of these groups as more than mere protests. “These are crimes,” he said. “What they’re doing, where they’re throwing bricks at cars of the ICE and Border Patrol… they don’t have to take that anymore. I let it be known, and they don’t want to take it.”
Trump drew a stark contrast with previous administrations, criticizing what he described as a permissive culture in which federal officers were instructed to refrain from responding to attacks. “If somebody throws a rock at you, do nothing. If somebody spits in your face, do nothing,” he said. “And I say, when they spit, you hit. Do whatever you want. You do whatever the hell you want.”
The comments mark one of the most explicit endorsements from Trump of aggressive enforcement tactics against left-wing protest groups and come amid heightened political tensions following the high-profile killing of a conservative activist. While the former president has long advocated for a tough-on-crime approach, his remarks signal a willingness to extend federal law enforcement authority in ways that could have broad legal and political implications.
The White House emphasized that the move was intended as a warning to liberal groups allegedly funding a “network of organizations” responsible for left-wing riots, according to Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller, as reported by CNN. Miller stated, “The key point the president has been making is somebody is paying for all of this. This is not happening for free, and so out of the president’s direction, the attorney general is going to find out who is paying for it, and they will now be criminally liable for paying for violence.”
The announcement comes less than a week after an alleged shooter, reportedly influenced by anti-fascist movements, shot Charlie Kirk, the 31-year-old founder of Turning Point USA, at a Utah Valley University rally. Investigators noted that some of the bullet casings contained messages associated with antifa, including phrases such as “Hey fascist, catch!”
Attempts to classify antifa as a domestic terror organization have repeatedly faced legal and political obstacles, as U.S. law limits such designations. However, legal analysts suggest that applying Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations (RICO) charges against antifa groups—or their financial backers—could provide a more effective means to curb their activities while honoring Kirk’s legacy.
Kirk was a staunch advocate for open debate and rejected the notion that intimidation or violence should dictate political discourse. In contrast, antifa and affiliated networks often rely on disruption and aggression. Even if the alleged shooter was not formally tied to these groups, his actions followed the patterns associated with their tactics.
Officials and commentators argue that decisive enforcement could restore law and order, signaling that Americans—including conservative activists—can participate in public life without fear of targeted violence.