Trump Says He Will Sign Executive Order Targeting Left Wing Groups He Claims Incite Violence

President Trump in the Oval Office on Sept. 25. (Photo: Andrew Harnik/Getty Images)

Washington, D.C. – 25 September 2025 - President Donald Trump announced on Wednesday that he will sign an executive order this week aimed at dismantling what he describes as "domestic terrorism networks" funded by left-wing groups that he claims are inciting violence against conservatives. The move comes amid heightened political tensions following the assassination of prominent conservative activist Charlie Kirk earlier this month.

In a post on Truth Social, Trump wrote: "The continuing violence from Radical Left Terrorists, in the aftermath of Charlie Kirk's assassination, must be stopped. I will be signing an Executive Order this week to dismantle these Domestic Terrorism Networks." The announcement was made on the same day as a separate shooting at an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) field office in Dallas, where a gunman killed one detainee and wounded two others, though no direct connection to the groups in question has been established.

This forthcoming executive order builds on actions Trump has already taken. On Monday, September 22, he signed a memorandum designating the decentralized anti-fascist movement known as Antifa a "domestic terrorist organization." That order directs federal agencies to "investigate, disrupt, and dismantle any and all illegal operations...conducted by Antifa" and its supporters, including potential probes into financial backers. Trump has also discussed with Attorney General Pam Bondi the possibility of bringing charges under the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations (RICO) Act—originally designed to combat organized crime—against such networks.

The context for these measures traces back to the September 10 assassination of Charlie Kirk, the 31-year-old founder of Turning Point USA, a conservative youth organization. Kirk was shot and killed while addressing an audience at Utah Valley University in Orem, Utah. Authorities arrested 22-year-old Tyler Robinson shortly after the incident, charging him with first-degree murder. Prosecutors have described Robinson as holding a "leftist ideology," but federal investigators have found "no evidence" linking him to Antifa or broader left-wing groups. Despite this, Trump and his allies have portrayed the killing as part of a coordinated wave of "radical left" aggression, without providing substantiating proof.

Trump has repeatedly labeled Antifa a "sick, dangerous, radical left disaster" and vowed a thorough investigation. In a separate Truth Social post, he stated: "Radical left political violence has hurt too many innocent people and taken too many lives." Supporters of the administration point to past incidents allegedly tied to Antifa, such as shootings and assaults on law enforcement in Texas and Oregon in July 2025, a pipe bomb brought to a pro-Trump event in 2022, and threats against police and Trump supporters in 2021.

The executive actions have drawn sharp criticism from Democrats and civil liberties advocates, who argue they represent a dangerous escalation in targeting political opponents. House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries called the orders "a blatant abuse of power, using tragedy as a pretext to silence dissent." Legal experts have raised concerns about the practicality and constitutionality of designating a leaderless, decentralized movement like Antifa as a terrorist group, noting that such measures are typically reserved for foreign entities with clear structures. The designation could enable asset seizures and bans on members, but without a formal membership list, enforcement remains unclear.

Domestic terrorism analysts emphasize that political violence in the U.S. is not one-sided. Data from groups like the Anti-Defamation League and the Government Accountability Office show that right-wing extremists have been responsible for the majority of ideologically motivated attacks and plots in recent years, including the January 6, 2021, Capitol riot. Critics of Trump's focus say it ignores this bipartisan nature of extremism.

As the White House prepares to formalize the new executive order, expected as early as Friday, the political fallout continues to unfold. Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene has introduced a resolution to censure Democratic Representative Ilhan Omar over her post-assassination comments calling for "greater civility in political discourse," accusing her of downplaying the violence. Meanwhile, calls for unity have emerged from both sides, though the deepening divide suggests the road ahead remains fraught.