Washington, 23 September 2025 (dpa/MIA) - US President Donald Trump on Monday designated the radical left-wing Antifa movement as a domestic terrorist organization.

"Antifa is a militarist, anarchist enterprise that explicitly calls for the overthrow of the United States Government, law enforcement authorities, and our system of law," the White House said. "Thanks to the leadership of President Trump, they are now classified as a domestic terrorist organization."

Trump had announced the move last week.

Antifa is a left-wing anti-fascist and anti-racist political movement. It is not a centralized organization, but rather a loosely affiliated network of groups and individuals.

The designation comes 12 days after the killing of influential conservative activist Charlie Kirk, which further deepened the political divide in the United States. Trump's order against Antifa made no direct reference to Kirk's death.

It is unclear how exactly the US government intends to move against Antifa. According to non-profit research institutes and civil rights organizations in the US, the Antifa movement has no clear organizational structure or leaders.

Kirk was considered an important voice of the American right. Through events, podcasts and social media, he reached an audience of millions, especially young men. In 2012, he founded the youth organization Turning Point USA, which is active in numerous high schools and colleges.

Little is known about the exact motives of the 22-year-old suspect in Kirk's killing. However, immediately after the attack, Trump pointed the finger at the rhetoric coming from the "radical left." Critics accused him of further exacerbating the already heated atmosphere in the country instead of striking a conciliatory tone.

Kirk's death is one of a series of recent politically motivated acts of violence in the US, towards both Democrats and Republicans.