Political violence in the United States

In the context of the history of the United States, political violence is defined as violence which the state or a non-state actor perpetrates in order to achieve political goals. Political violence has occurred throughout American history—from the assassinations of four presidents to civil unrest and terrorist attacks. Experts report that incidents have increased significantly since 2016, reaching levels not seen since the 1970s. 21st-century data indicates that the highest incidence of deadly political violence in the United States has come from right-wing extremists, with left-wing extremists and Islamists being the other main ideological categories. Contributing factors toward political violence include dehumanizing political rhetoric and partisan division, authoritarian personality traits, hostile sexist beliefs, online radicalization, and a sense of threat or increased fear.

Although widely discussed, realized acts of political violence in the United States are rare and constitute about 1% of all hate crimes.