On September 21, 2025, a proposal to create a new FBI domestic-terrorism category, dubbed "Transgender Ideology-Inspired Violence and Extremism" (TIVE), ignited fierce debate across the United States. According to Just the News, the idea is being pushed by conservative groups like The Heritage Foundation and its affiliate, The Oversight Project, who argue that extremist violence motivated by what they call "eliminationist rhetoric" tied to transgender ideology is a growing threat. The proposal, and the events that precipitated it, have become a lightning rod for controversy, raising thorny questions about free speech, law enforcement priorities, and the dangers of politicizing tragedy.
The TIVE category, as outlined in public and internal memos circulated by The Oversight Project, is intended to help the FBI track and address what its proponents describe as the "potentially unlawful use or threat of force or violence, including incitement to unlawful violence" by individuals motivated by transgender ideology. Mike Howell, president of The Oversight Project, told Just the News the new framework could be adopted by the FBI immediately, without the need for congressional approval. "It's not a designation of transgenders per se," Howell emphasized, clarifying that the proposed category would exclude people who simply identify as transgender or support LGBT causes, as long as their actions remain nonviolent and within First Amendment protections.
But the details of what would qualify as TIVE are complex, and critics argue, dangerously vague. According to the eight-page memo circulated by The Oversight Project, the ideology is marked by the belief that violence is justified against those who oppose or are indifferent to transgender issues, or that such opposition itself constitutes a violent threat to the existence or safety of transgender or gender-nonconforming people. The memo points to the use of terms like "cisgender," "deadnaming," and "misgendering" as examples of rhetoric that some see as violent refusals to recognize a person's gender identity, and it highlights phrases such as "trans genocide" and "erasure" as part of the discourse that, in their view, could justify violent responses.
Howell drew a controversial comparison to frameworks used to track radical Islam and antisemitism, arguing that transgender and Islamic terrorist ideologies share certain features: "There's recruitment, there's high-minded academic cover, there's money and unfortunately there's violence." He cited the infamous "Jews will not replace us" chant from the 2017 Unite the Right rally as an example of eliminationist rhetoric that, in his view, parallels some expressions within transgender activism. "It's time to get the ball rolling," Howell said, underscoring the urgency felt by proponents of the TIVE category.
The push for TIVE comes in the wake of two high-profile violent incidents that have fueled calls for action. Most notably, the fatal shooting of conservative activist Charlie Kirk at Utah Valley University. As reported by AOL, authorities are investigating whether the suspected shooter, 22-year-old Tyler Robinson, was motivated by anger at Kirk's outspoken views on gender identity. Six sources familiar with the case said Robinson believed Kirk's positions were "hateful" toward people like Robinson's transgender roommate. Investigators confirmed that Robinson and the roommate, who changed their name from Lance to "Luna," had a romantic relationship and that Luna has been cooperating with law enforcement.
Messages shared with police included communications from a sender listed as "Tyler," who allegedly wrote about hiding the rifle used in the shooting near the university. Utah Governor Spencer Cox confirmed in a news conference that Robinson had told Luna in writing about the weapon's location. Investigators are also probing whether any local leftist groups in Utah had prior knowledge of Robinson's plans or provided support afterward, though no evidence has surfaced to confirm such involvement.
The political leanings and motivations of Robinson remain hotly debated. Conservatives have painted him as a radical leftist, while liberals have pointed to his conservative upbringing—his family describes themselves as staunch Republicans and supporters of President Trump's MAGA movement. Debbie Robinson, the family matriarch, told AOL, "Most of my family members are Republican. I don't know any single one who's a Democrat." She added that the family supports Trump's movement, complicating the narrative being drawn by some partisan commentators.
Meanwhile, LGBTQ advocates have pushed back hard against early media reports that linked the shooting to transgender ideology. The Wall Street Journal was criticized for suggesting that a bullet casing at the scene carried a message related to transgender people—a claim that LGBTQ groups say was both inaccurate and dangerous. The Human Rights Campaign issued a statement condemning the coverage: "In the immediate aftermath of Charlie Kirk's murder, the Wall Street Journal published unconfirmed reports that wrongfully tied the shooter to the LGBTQ+ community. This reporting was reckless and irresponsible, and it led to a wave of threats against the trans community from right-wing influencers—and a resulting wave of terror for a community that is already living in fear." The statement continued, "Rage is what makes this country a tinder box. The rush to lob hot takes and publish clickbait is not how we are going to get out of this deeply divided, dangerous era. News outlets like the Wall Street Journal must do better."
The debate over TIVE is further complicated by the inclusion of several other violent incidents in the Heritage Foundation's and Oversight Project's memos. Among those listed is Audrey Hale, the Covenant Presbyterian School shooter, who identified as transgender and expressed anger over not learning about medicalized gender transitions until adulthood. Leaked journal excerpts revealed Hale's struggles with identity and a desire for puberty blockers, but also a disturbing hatred toward Christians and white people. Another case cited is Robin Westman, the Annunciation Catholic Church shooter, who publicly identified as transgender and expressed hatred toward Christianity, but later wrote in a journal about regretting "brain-washing" himself into identifying as a girl.
Despite these examples, Just the News noted that the evidence of a clear transgender ideology motivation in many cases is muddled at best. In fact, the eight-page memo's own citations often point to more complicated motives, such as mental health struggles, hatred toward other groups, or personal grievances, rather than a cohesive ideological campaign. Even the statistic that "experts estimate that 50% of all major (non-gang related) school shootings since 2015 have involved or likely involved transgender ideology" remains unverified and unsourced, raising questions about the reliability of the data being used to justify the new FBI category.
If implemented, the TIVE designation would see the FBI monitoring both physical and digital "cells," including online forums like Discord, Steam, Twitch, and Reddit. The Joint Terrorism Task Force would be tasked with translating coded language and tracking potential threats, much as it did during the War on Terror. Congressional leaders, such as House Oversight Committee Chair James Comer, have already called on tech CEOs to testify about the "radicalization of online forum users," signaling that the issue is likely to remain in the political spotlight.
For now, the TIVE proposal stands at the intersection of deep national divides over gender, free speech, and security. As the country grapples with the aftermath of high-profile violence and the specter of politicized law enforcement, the debate over how to define and confront extremism is far from settled.
