Heritage Foundation Urges FBI to Label Transgender Activism as Domestic Terror Threat

The Trump administration is reportedly preparing to designate transgender individuals as "violent extremists," with plans to classify transgender activism under a new category called "Transgender Ideology-Inspired Violent Extremism" (TIVE). This push is influenced by right-wing groups, notably the Heritage Foundation and its spin-off, the Oversight Project, which have petitioned the FBI to adopt this classification to "detect, disrupt, and dismantle" what they describe as a domestic terror threat, citing the murder of conservative activist Charlie Kirk as justification despite a lack of direct evidence linking trans activism to the incident. Critics argue that this broad definition could label nearly all transgender rights advocacy as extremism, potentially enabling extensive surveillance and legal action against activists. Data shows that domestic extremist violence is predominantly committed by right-wing actors, with transgender individuals responsible for an extremely small fraction of mass shootings, contradicting claims made by these groups. The Heritage Foundation's influence within the current federal government, including ties to Project 2025, suggests this proposal could shape future policies under the Trump administration. Overall, the initiative is seen as part of a broader effort to stigmatize transgender people and suppress transgender rights under the guise of national security concerns.