Image: from “Trump Posts Image of Joe Biden Kidnapped and Bound With Rope.”
This page is part of a resource collection on Authoritarianism & Bigotry in the Second Trump Administration.
Resources
Cross Cultural Solidarity:
Political Violence in the Second Trump Administration
February 19. Gabriel Sherman: “They’re Scared Shitless”: The Threat of Political Violence Informing Trump’s Grip on Congress.
March 25. Ellie Silverman: Trump administration cuts national database tracking domestic terrorism.
June 14. Tobi Raji: Manhunt underway for suspect in shooting that killed a Minnesota lawmaker
June 14. Lisa Lerer: Like School Shootings, Political Violence Is Becoming Almost Routine. Threats and violent acts have become part of the political landscape, still shocking but somehow not so surprising.
June 16. Elissa Salamy: Man drives into crowd of protesters at ‘No Kings’ rally in Virginia
June 17. Rachel Leingang and Joseph Gedeon: How the right spread ‘brutal and cruel’ misinformation after Minnesota lawmaker killings. The rightwing media ecosystem spins up narratives to serve their agendas after tragic events, regardless of accuracy
June 17. Megan Mineiro and Michael Gold: Members of Congress Press for More Security After Minnesota Attacks a Capitol security official briefed senators on enhanced security precautions, and lawmakers in both parties said more funding was needed to protect themselves.
June 22. TODAY video: Inside Look at the Rise of Political Violence in the United States.
July 2. Sophie Bates: Daughter of Slain Civil Rights Leader Medgar Evers Sees ‘Painful’ Echoes of Political Violence in America.
July 30. Pat Thomas: Danville Councilman set on fire; suspect arrested for attempted murder.
September 16. Barbara Sprunt: ‘People are scared’: Congress grapples with increasing political violence.
September 24. Eric Reinhart: What Is Political Violence? Pundits and politicians conceal the truth: it’s all around us, perpetrated by our political system itself.
Weaponizing the Assassination of Charlie Kirk
Resources
News: 2025
September 10. David Gilbert: ‘War Is Here’: The Far-Right Responds to Charlie Kirk Shooting With Calls for Violence. Prominent far-right figures and elected officials have called for vengeance following the death of conservative activist Charlie Kirk.
September 13. NPR: President Trump’s responses on political violence over time.
September 13. Jordan Green: ‘The reckoning we need’: Radicals threaten violence after Charlie Kirk killing.
September 13. Stephen Prager: Stephen Miller Vows to “Dismantle” the Left After Charlie Kirk Assassination: Miller threatened to deploy RICO and terrorism charges to persecute progressive organizations and individuals.
September 16. Emanuel Maiberg: DOJ Deletes Study Showing Domestic Terrorists Are Most Often Right Wing:Following Charlie Kirk’s assassination and the Trump administration’s promise to go after the “radical left” a study showing most domestic terrorism is far-right was disappeared.
September 19. Jordan Green: ‘Wicked and demonic’: GOP attacks on left over Charlie Kirk fuel small-town tensions.
September 19. PBS: Extremism expert Cynthia Miller-Idriss assesses the shooting of Charlie Kirk, the Trump administration’s response, and the rise of political violence in America.
September 19. Lydia Polgreen: The Fallout From Charlie Kirk’s Killing Reveals Two Truths of Trumpism.
September 20. NBC News: ‘No evidence’ found yet of ties between Charlie Kirk’s shooting and left-wing groups, officials say.
September 20. David Smith: How Trump is seizing on Charlie Kirk’s killing for a campaign of vengeance.
September 20. Jamelle Bouie: The MAGA Movement Is Not a Debating Society.
September 23. Olúfẹ́mi O. Táíwò: How Can We Live Together? Ezra Klein is wrong: shame is essential.
September 24. Eric Reinhart: What Is Political Violence? Pundits and politicians conceal the truth: it’s all around us, perpetrated by our political system itself.
September 25. Jacob Knutson: In Dangerous Attack on Left-Leaning Nonprofits, Trump Orders Government to Go After ‘Domestic Terrorism Networks’.
September 25. Justin Rohrlich & Alex Woodward: Texas man accused of threatening to shoot up Pride parade to ‘pay them back for taking out Charlie Kirk.’
September 28. Nikole Hannah-Jones: What the Public Memory of Charlie Kirk Revealed: For those who felt denigrated by his rhetoric, the bipartisan tributes to him as a champion of free speech augured something dangerous: the mainstreaming of formerly extremist views.
October 4. Melissa Hellmann: ‘He wasn’t this national hero’: US college students voice concern over Charlie Kirk’s idolization.
October 3. David Gilbert: At a Conspiracy Conference in Rural Ireland, Charlie Kirk Was the Star: The increasingly tight links between far-right groups in the US and Europe were on full display at the Rebels Across the Pond conference in Ireland.
October 3. Jordan Green: UNC reinstates prof who had been suspended amid Charlie Kirk furor.
October 8. Kelsey Ables & Katie Tarrant: Conservative push for Charlie Kirk statues revives debate on memorials:Lawmakers’ rapid calls for memorialization, especially on public college campuses, are controversial among students and unusual in the U.S., according to scholars.
October 8. Noah Robertson & Tara Copp: Hegseth’s sprawling hunt for Charlie Kirk critics spans nearly 300 investigations:The inquiry, resulting in a smattering of disciplinary action so far, follows an extraordinary Pentagon directive aimed at silencing criticism of the slain activist and Trump supporter.
October 11. Peter Stone: ‘Page one of the authoritarian playbook’: how Trump and allies are exploiting Kirk’s killing.
October 14. Elena Moore: Trump awards the Medal of Freedom posthumously to Charlie Kirk.
October 15. The Guardian: Outcry after US strips visas from six foreigners over Charlie Kirk remarks.
The Escalation of Political Violence During the First Trump Administration & Reelection Campaigns
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.
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.
Paul Farhi: Trump’s violent rhetoric is getting muted coverage by the news media.
Jordan Green: How Trump ally Michael Flynn is priming supporters for violence ahead of the election.
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.
Reuters: Trump blasts his trial judges. Then his fans call for violence.