Right-wing extremist violence is more frequent and deadly than leftwing violence
20 hours ago
- #extremism
- #domestic-terrorism
- #political-violence
- President Trump and adviser Stephen Miller claim left-wing groups are responsible for political violence, but research shows most domestic terrorism in the U.S. is right-wing.
- Political violence is rising, with threats against election workers and high-profile assassinations like Charlie Kirk and Minnesota Rep. Melissa Hortman.
- Definitions of political violence vary, complicating comparisons. The FBI and DHS focus on actual violence, while academic datasets use narrower criteria.
- Right-wing extremist violence accounts for 75-80% of domestic terrorism deaths since 2001, while left-wing violence is less frequent and less deadly.
- The U.S. lacks a formal mechanism to designate domestic terrorists, relying on existing laws to prosecute individuals for specific violent acts.
- Political violence, though rare, has a disproportionate impact, amplifying fear and polarization. Right-wing violence is more lethal than left-wing violence.