Trump administration vows to target "left-wing terror networks" after Charlie Kirk’s death

Senior White House official Stephen Miller announced Monday that the Trump administration would take aggressive action against what he described as a “vast domestic terror movement,” linking it to the fatal shooting of conservative activist Charlie Kirk.

Miller, the White House deputy chief of staff, made the comments on Kirk’s podcast, hosted by Vice President JD Vance. “We are going to channel all of the anger that we have over the organized campaign that led to this assassination, to uproot and dismantle these terrorist networks,” Miller said.

Both Miller and Vance claimed that a growing left-wing extremist movement was behind the attack and pledged that the administration would now focus on dismantling it.

“We are going to use every resource we have at the Department of Justice, Homeland Security and throughout this government to identify, disrupt, dismantle and destroy these networks and make America safe again for the American people,” Miller added.

The remarks come as investigators continue to examine the circumstances surrounding Kirk’s death. Kirk, a vocal conservative and founder of Turning Point USA, was shot on Wednesday during a speaking event on a Utah university campus. The 22-year-old suspect, Tyler Robinson, was arrested Thursday after a 33-hour manhunt. Authorities say Robinson shot Kirk with a single bullet to the neck from a rooftop.

FBI Director Kash Patel confirmed DNA evidence linked Robinson to the scene and said the suspect had written a note before the attack stating, “I have the opportunity to take out Charlie Kirk, and I’m going to take it.”

Kirk’s killing has sparked concerns about political violence and polarization in the United States. Recent years have seen attacks targeting both Democrats and Republicans, including two assassination attempts on Trump last year and the June shooting of a Minnesota Democratic lawmaker and her husband.

On the podcast, Vance praised Kirk as “the smartest political operative I ever met” and credited him with helping secure Trump’s 2016 presidential victory. Trump will attend a memorial service for Kirk on Sunday in Arizona.

The president also said Monday he was considering designating Antifa, a loose network of far-left groups, as a domestic terrorist organization and pursuing organized crime charges against individuals allegedly raising funds to support “agitation.” Trump had previously threatened to label Antifa a domestic terror group during his first term but never acted.

Meanwhile, Patel defended his handling of the case, including initial misstatements about the suspect’s arrest. “Could I have worded it a little better in the heat of the moment? Sure. But do I regret putting it out? Absolutely not,” he said. Patel is expected to testify before Congress on Tuesday regarding the investigation.

The White House vows that the administration’s response will be comprehensive, signaling a hardline stance on domestic political violence as the investigation into Kirk’s death continues.