Political Violence in America: A Bipartisan Problem Despite Recent Claims

In the aftermath of conservative activist Charlie Kirk’s murder, President Donald Trump and his allies have characterized political violence as predominantly a left-wing issue, using this narrative to justify crackdowns on liberal organizations. However, comprehensive data on political extremism presents a more complex picture, showing that violence spans the ideological spectrum.

Crime scene tape marked the site where Kirk was fatally shot during an event at Utah Valley University, an incident that sparked renewed debate over political violence in America. While recent Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) analysis indicates a rise in left-wing violence in 2025, marking “the first time in more than 30 years that left-wing terrorist attacks outnumber those from the violent far right,” the research organization explicitly cautioned against a one-sided approach.

CSIS emphasized that “fighting terrorism effectively” requires “counterterrorism efforts against both right- and left-wing terrorism,” noting that extremist violence doesn’t represent mainstream political positions on either side of the aisle.

This balanced assessment contrasts sharply with recent statements from the Trump administration. In a video message following Kirk’s death, Trump attributed the killing to “radical left” rhetoric without acknowledging violence targeting Democrats. In a Fox News interview, he claimed, “The radicals on the right, oftentimes are radical because they don’t want to see crime. … The radicals on the left are the problem.”

At Kirk’s memorial, Trump asserted that “the violence comes largely from the left,” a claim echoed by his son Donald Trump Jr., who told Fox News, “The violence only goes one way… It is entirely owned by the left.”

These statements overlook numerous high-profile attacks against Democrats, including the June killings of Minnesota House Speaker Melissa Hortman and her husband, the shooting of Minnesota state Sen. John Hoffman and his wife, the April arson at Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro’s home, the 2022 hammer attack on Nancy Pelosi’s husband, and the 2020 plot to kidnap Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer.

The administration has leveraged its narrative to target liberal organizations. Vice President J.D. Vance promised to “go after the NGO network that foments, facilitates, and engages in violence,” while Trump has suggested bringing RICO charges against billionaire philanthropist George Soros, a longtime target of right-wing conspiracy theories.

In response, Soros’s Open Society Foundations stated, “We do not pay people to protest or directly train or coordinate protestors… The Open Society Foundations oppose all forms of violence, including violent protests.”

Research organizations using varied methodologies have consistently found that, until recently, right-wing extremism posed the most significant domestic terrorism threat in America. The CSIS reported a steep decline in right-wing incidents in early 2025, with just one attack causing two deaths, compared to five left-wing incidents resulting in no fatalities.

CSIS analysts suggested the decline might be temporary, potentially because “many traditional grievances that violent right-wing extremists have espoused in the past—opposition to abortion, hostility to immigration, and suspicions of government agencies, among others—are now embraced by President Trump and his administration.”

Multiple studies support the historical predominance of right-wing violence. A National Institute of Justice report found that “the number of far-right attacks continues to outpace all other types of terrorism,” though the Department of Justice removed this study from its website on September 12. FBI and Department of Homeland Security assessments have consistently identified white supremacists as the most lethal domestic terror threat since 2017.

Meanwhile, threats against members of Congress have reached unprecedented levels. U.S. Capitol Police project approximately 14,000 threat assessment cases by the end of 2025, surpassing the previous record of 9,625 in 2021. A spokesperson confirmed that “Members of Congress of both political parties receive a wide range of threats.”

House Speaker Mike Johnson acknowledged this bipartisan challenge during a G7 address, noting that “the uptick in violence against legislators is not confined to just one party or one nation… It’s a common challenge for all of us.”

As political tensions remain high, experts stress that addressing political violence requires a comprehensive approach that acknowledges extremism across the ideological spectrum rather than partisan finger-pointing.