Political violence is the use of force by a group with a political purpose or motivation to advance political objectives, according to the Armed Conflict Location and Event Data Project (ACLED). According to ACLED, a politically violent event is “a single altercation where force is often used by one or more groups to a political end.”
Political violence isn’t driven by a single political goal, ideology or movement. Rather, these attacks can be perpetrated by people whose beliefs span the political spectrum.
Political violence and terrorism plots have increased in recent years in the United States. During the first six months of 2025, more than 520 incidents of terrorism and targeted violence occurred in the United States — roughly a 40% increase compared with the first six months of 2024.
There was also a 187.5% increase in mass-casualty attacks — events in which four or more victims were killed or wounded — during the first six months of 2025 (23 events) compared with the same period in 2024 (8 events), according to an analysis.
Another study found that extremists are exploiting political violence on online platforms to recruit new people to their causes.
The report examined extremist activity across the ideological spectrum, including far-right, far-left, violent Islamist and nihilistic violent extremists, to analyze their tactics and motives.
Meanwhile, a national survey conducted in 2025 found that a “substantial minority of American adults” endorsed authoritarian views and smaller groups agreed that the current federal government “should use the military to help enforce its policies.”
And about 10% of survey respondents said they were at least “somewhat willing to use violence themselves” to support or oppose the current federal government. About 13% agreed at least somewhat with the use of “private armed militia groups” for that purpose, and roughly 4% agreed strongly or very strongly.
But the survey also found that large majorities of Americans reject authoritarianism and political violence.