Image: From “America Can Have Democracy or Political Violence. Not Both.”

This page is part of a resource collection on far right extremism.

Combatting Political Violence

HOPE: Harnessing Our Power to End Political Violence.

NPR: How to help prevent more political violence this election cycle.

The Washington Post:

• How can the U.S. help prevent more political violence?
• Here’s what persuades Americans to support democracy over party: Our new study tested 25 different approaches with both Republicans and Democrats. Here are three that made a difference.
• Six parents on how to talk to kids about political violence:Parents can’t always control when kids learn about horrible things. But we can prepare them.

On the Growing Popular Support for Political Violence

ACLED: Demonstrations and Political Violence in America: New Data for Summer 2020.

Chauncey DeVega: “Apocalypticism”: Polling expert reveals the root of “panic among conservative White Christians”. “That core belief explains so much of the extremism and the proclivity toward violence on the political right”.

Eric W. Dolan: New research connects dark personality traits with political violence in multiple countries.

Charles Homans: How Americans Justify Political Violence: Partisan support for the killing of adversaries is much more widespread than anyone wants to admit.

CNN: Biden sends a stark warning about political violence ahead of midterms: ‘We can’t take democracy for granted any longer’.

Rachel Kleinfeld: The U.S. shows all the signs of a country spiraling toward political violence.

Cynthia Miller-Idriss:

• Why political violence and violent threats are on the rise in the United States.
• In the US, ‘extreme political partisanship and divisive rhetoric from elected officials is driving violence’.

MSNBC: Radical right wing mass violence sits dangerously close to Republican politics.

The New York Times: America Can Have Democracy or Political Violence. Not Both.

NPR:

• Experts say many Americans see violence as an acceptable way to resolve differences.
• 23% of Americans support political violence ahead of the 2024 election, survey shows.

Ned Parker & Peter Eisler: Political violence in polarized U.S. at its worst since 1970s.

Reuters: U.S. political violence driven by new breed of ‘grab-bag’ extremists.

Laura Santhanam: 1 in 5 Americans think violence may solve U.S. divisions, poll finds.

U.S. Secret Service Media Relations: New Secret Service Research Examines for the First Time Five Years of Mass Violence Data.

The Washington Post: Violent political threats surge as 2024 begins, haunting American democracy.

Odette Yousef:

• The U.S. has had a long history of political violence, but experts see a new trend.
• What Biden’s speech left out about the growing popular support for political violence.
• Small communities brace for potential election-related violence.

Threats Against Journalists

Maria Cramer & Mike Ives: Man Sentenced to 3 Years Over Threats to Journalists and Politicians.

Josh Dulaney: Oklahoma sheriff, commissioner, accused of discussing killing a reporter and returning to Black hangings.

David Enrich: A Reporter Investigated Sexual Misconduct. Then the Attacks Began. After publishing an exposé, journalists in New Hampshire faced broken windows, vulgar graffiti and a legal brawl, with important First Amendment implications.

Eric Hananoki: Sinclair stations aired a sponsored segment featuring a white nationalist who supports killing journalists.

Jason Rezaian: Being a journalist in the U.S. is becoming more dangerous.

Ken Ritter: Former Las Vegas-area Democratic politician gets at least 28 years in prison for killing journalist.

Threats Against Judges

CNN:

• Federal judge delivers rare response after Trump attacks the daughter of a judge.
• Head of US Marshals identifies an alarming trend and warns of a threat to democracy.

David Gilbert: Far-Right Extremists Are Violently Threatening the Trump Search-Warrant Judge: “Let’s find out if he has children… where they go to school, where they live… EVERYTHING,” one person wrote on a message board where the judge’s address was posted.

NBC News: Letter sent to Bragg follows a wave of threats and highlights the security nightmare of a Trump indictment: Law enforcement may not only have to deal with the practicalities of potential mass gatherings at the courthouse but also with threats against judges and prosecutors.

Reuters: US judges saw sharp rise in threats related to political violence, data shows:  Threats to US judges more than doubled in past three years amid the most sustained spate of violence since the 1970s.

Threats Against Jurists

AP News: White supremacist admits threatening jury and witnesses in Pittsburgh synagogue shooter’s trial.

Russ Bynum: Authorities investigating threats to grand jurors who indicted Trump in Georgia.

Holmes Lybrand & Hannah Rabinowitz: Proud Boys juror raises concern she’s being followed.

Ryan J. Reilly: Trump supporters try to dox jurors and post violent threats after his conviction.

Reuters: Trump blasts his trial judges. Then his fans call for violence. When Donald Trump attacks the integrity of judges hearing cases against him, his followers often respond with posts urging that the jurists be beaten, tortured and killed.

Odette Yousef: Threats, slurs and menace: Far-right websites target Fulton County grand jurors.

Threats Against Election Workers

David Gilbert: Election Workers Are Already Burned Out—and on High Alert: Violent threats, rampant disinformation, budget shortfalls, and mass resignations: Election workers have a long road to November.

Intelbrief: Serious Concerns Over Political Violence Surrounding U.S. Midterm Elections.

Joseph Marks: Threats against election workers could have bad consequences.

NBC News: Michigan election chief: Trump suggested I be arrested for treason and executed.

NPR: Death threats and harassment: 2024 election workers already are scared.

Reuters: One in five U.S. election workers may quit amid threats, politics.

Yvonne Wingett Sanchez: In court, Trump supporter faces election official he violently threatened.

Matt Shuham: Election Officials Nationwide Are Making Big Security Upgrades Ahead Of November. Election administration used to be a “sleepy industry.” Now, officials are building ventilated mail rooms and training for crises.

Brigham Tomco: FBI intercepts threatening letter intended for Utah election workers.

The Washington Post: Suspicious letters sent to elections offices in at least five states: At least one letter contained fentanyl. The letters forced evacuations and in some cases disrupted ballot counting.

Cat Zakrzewski: Election workers brace for a torrent of threats: ‘I KNOW WHERE YOU SLEEP’.

Threats Against Elected Officials

Hannah Allam: At all levels of public office, threats now come with the job: New research on targeted officials shows that fear and intimidation are eroding democratic participation nationwide.

Ayana Archie: A Virginia man has been arrested for allegedly threatening to kill Kamala Harris.

Paul Blest: A Democratic Candidate Was Beaten and Knocked Unconscious at His Home: “He knocked me out,” says the candidate, who suspects he was targeted with election-related violence.

Sara Boboltz & Nick Visser: Failed GOP Candidate Arrested In String Of Shootings At New Mexico Democrats’ Homes: Police charged Solomon Peña, a former Republican candidate for the state House of Representatives.

Ben Brasch: Man killed in FBI raid after alleged threats against Biden, other officials.

Bill Chappell: Five Democratic politicians’ homes or offices have been shot at in Albuquerque.

Kyle Clark: Joe Oltmann, a prominent far-right voice in Colorado politics, says Biden should be tried and executed.

CNN: Biden sends a stark warning about political violence ahead of midterms: ‘We can’t take democracy for granted any longer’.

Combatting Terrorism Center at West Point: Rising Threats to Public Officials: A Review of 10 Years of Federal Data.

Andrew Couts: Elon Musk Is a National Security Risk:Musk’s now-deleted post questioning why no one has attempted to assassinate Joe Biden and Kamala Harris renews concerns over his work for the US government—and potential to inspire extremist violence.

Ruby Cramer: Rep. Pramila Jayapal (D-Wash.) recounts the night an armed man shouted at her and her husband outside their Seattle home — and how threats of political violence haunt and alter the lives of elected officials.

U.S. Department of Justice: Michigan Man Arrested and Charged For Illegally Possessing Firearms While Making Threats to Kill Government Officials.

Noah Festenstein: Boulder Councilmember Tara Winer attacked during restaurant opening in University Hill.

Dan Ladden-Hall: Another New Jersey Council Member Shot Dead, Officials Say.

Patrick Marley: Man with a gun demands to see Wisconsin governor, is arrested, and returns with rifle.

Tess Owen. American Politicians Are Facing More Gun Threats.

Yvonne Wingett Sanchez: Arizona official targeted by election deniers now struggles with PTSD.

The Washington Post: Lawmakers Confront a Rise in Threats and Intimidation, and Fear Worse.

Threats Against Law Enforcement

Associated Press: Man sentenced in extremist killing of federal officer.

Luke Broadwater &Susan Dominus: The Capitol Police and the Scars of Jan. 6: For many officers, their bodies, minds and lives will never be the same after the attack.

Chris Cameron: These Are the People Who Died in Connection With the Capitol Riot: A bipartisan Senate report found that at least seven people had lost their lives in connection with the Jan. 6 attack.

Diana Falzone: Roger Stone Recorded Telling Associate to ‘Abduct’ and ‘Punish’ Mueller Investigator.

Keegan Hamilton: FBI Standoff Suspect Posted ‘Call to Arms’ on Trump’s Truth Social.

Swatting

Jared Holt & Meghan Conroy: Is ‘swatting’ the latest trend in political violence? Not so fast.

Michel Martin & Odette Yousef: Growing list of public and private people are being targeted by swatting attempts.

The Plot to Kidnap Gretchen Whitmer (October 2020)

Associated Press: 2 men convicted in plot to kidnap Michigan Gov. Whitmer.

Kathleen Belew: The plot against Whitmer won’t be the last white supremacist threat: Extremist violence isn’t a one-off problem. And it’s been around for decades.

Kim Bellware: Architect of Mich. governor kidnap plot sentenced to more than 19 years in prison.

Gus Burns: Acquitted Michigan kidnap plotters fail in bids for elected office.

Mary B. McCord: The Plot Against Gretchen Whitmer Shows the Danger of Private Militias: These groups have no constitutional right to exist.

Lauren del Valle: 3 acquitted in final trial of Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer kidnapping plot.

Odette Yousef: Verdicts in Michigan governor kidnapping plot fuels questions on white extremism.

The Attack on Paul Pelosi (October 2022)

Hannah Allam & Souad Mekhennet: Accused Pelosi attacker’s history shows blurry lines of radicalization.

Hannah Allam, Ashley Parker, & Marianna Sotomayor: Attack on Nancy Pelosi’s husband follows years of GOP demonizing her.

Michael Finnegan: Paul Pelosi recounts attack at home, ‘waking up in a pool of blood’.

Vice News: Man Accused of Attacking Nancy Pelosi’s Husband Left Trail of Far-Right Hate.

Conspiracy Theories & Political Violence

Kawser Ahmed: How conspiracy theories polarize society and provoke violence.

Tess Owen.

• ‘Get Armed While You Can’: Far-Right Midterm Rhetoric Has Experts Alarmed: Conspiracy theories about election fraud, some being pushed by influential Republicans, have experts worried about the possibility of political violence.
• The Feds Are Worried Election Conspiracies Will Trigger Violence During the Midterms: The FBI and DHS issued a rare joint warning about potential lone wolf attacks inspired by election conspiracies ahead of and after the midterms.

Trump & the Escalation of Political Violence

Isaac Arnsdorf:

• Trump suggests in Carlson interview that U.S. could see more political violence: The former president also again defended the mob of his supporters that attacked the Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021.
• Trump stokes suspicions about assassination attempt, raising fears of more violence: After an initial period of relative restraint, the former president has begun blaming the shooting on his opponents and amplifying conspiracy theories.

Jennifer Bendery: Colorado Secretary Of State ‘Extremely Concerned’ About Pro-Trump Violence: Jena Griswold received 64 death threats and more than 900 threats of abuse within three weeks of the case being filed to keep Trump off the state ballot.

Ruth Ben-Ghiat & Norman Eisen: Context only makes Trump’s ‘bloodbath’ comment worse: Authoritarians know that to get people to overcome taboos about committing violence.

Philip Bump: In Waco, Trump stokes anger and valorizes violent actors.

CNN: Federal judge delivers rare response after Trump attacks the daughter of a judge.

Ruby Cramer: Trump is ‘fascist to the core,’ Milley says in Woodward book:The former chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff says Trump is “the most dangerous person to this country,” echoing dire warnings of others in national security circles.

Paul Farhi: Trump’s violent rhetoric is getting muted coverage by the news media.

Mark Follman: JD Vance Reiterates False Claim That Democrats “Tried to Kill” Trump: The VP candidate and other Trump allies keep pushing a narrative that threat assessment experts say will fuel violence.

George Lakoff & Gil Duran: Donald Trump and the language of violence: No one has done more to frame American politics in violent terms.

Mike Levine: ‘No Blame?’ ABC News finds 54 cases invoking ‘Trump’ in connection with violence, threats, alleged assaults.

PBS: Trump conspiracies inspire threats against judges, jurors and election workers.

Christopher Mathias: Trump’s Campaign Rhetoric Is ‘Fascist.’ It Will Inspire More Violence. According to experts, the GOP presidential nominee is instilling a dangerous level of fear in his followers, setting himself up as their savior. Their only hope.

Reuters: Trump blasts his trial judges. Then his fans call for violence.

J.D. Wolf: Trump Posts Image of Joe Biden Kidnapped And Bound With Rope: Trump signals approval of violent imagery targeting his political opponents.

The Attempted Assassination of Donald Trump

Hannah Allam: Pro-Trump Christian extremists use scripture to justify violent goals: As Donald Trump is deemed a “spiritual warrior,” extremism researchers warn of the menace embedded in Christian nationalist rhetoric.

David Gilbert:

• The Right Is Blaming Women and DEI for the Secret Service’s Failure in Trump Shooting.
• Trump’s Shooting Rattled QAnon Believers. Then They Doubled Down. A month after the attempted assassination of Donald Trump, QAnon believers and their families are still stuck in a cycle of despair.
• Far-Right Extremists Call for Violence and War After Trump Shooting.

George Lakoff & Gil Duran: Donald Trump and the language of violence: No one has done more to frame American politics in violent terms.

Cynthia Miller-Idriss:

• ‘It was only a matter of time before we got to political assassinations,’ says expert on political violence.
• It’s not just politicians who should be held accountable for violent speech: The attempted Trump assassination should be a reckoning for ordinary Americans as well.
• Why political violence and violent threats are on the rise in the United States.

NPR: Conspiracy theories surge following the assassination attempt on Trump.

Tess Owen: Militias Are Recruiting Off of the Trump Shooting.

The Washington Post:

• Trump rally shooting was assassination attempt on ex-president, FBI says.
• America’s grievance-fueled politics poised to continue after Trump shooting: There were few signs that calls for greater understanding across party lines had filtered down to the grassroots — or that any softening of divisions would last.