A recent report on political violence by the Cato Institute, a non-partisan Libertarian-based think tank, examined the data on cases of murder in politically motivated terror attacks in the U.S. over the 50 years between 1975 and 2025.
The findings may be surprising to some in light of prevailing right-wing narrative in this country.
Overall, the Cato report found that political murder is rare in the U.S.
A total of 3,597 people have been murdered in politically motivated terrorist attacks in the United States from January 1, 1975, through September 10, 2025. Murders committed in terrorist attacks account for about 0.35 percent of all murders since 1975.
Most victims of politically-motivated murders during the period (87%) died in the 9-11 attacks, which skews the data.
To avoid this, the report then excludes the 9-11 attacks, but retains all other terrorist attacks motivated by Islamic ideology, as well as other ideologies.
According to the data, right-wingers accounted for for 391 murders over the years, more than twice the number killed by those motivated by Islamic and left-wing ideologies combined.
“The definition here of right-wing terrorists includes those motivated by white supremacy, anti-abortion beliefs, involuntary celibacy (incels), and other right-wing ideologies,” according to the report.
By comparison, left-wing terrorists murdered 65 people during the same period. These include murders motivated by black nationalism, anti-police sentiment, communism, socialism, animal rights, environmentalism, anti-white ideologies, and other left-wing ideologies.
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The study then focused on only those incidents since 2020. The overall changes a bit, but cases right-wing political murder still outnumber those motivated by Islamist and leftist ideologies combined.
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You can read the Cato Institute report here.
The report’s methodology and data sources are discussed at length in a separate post.
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The problem with this is that you are trying to connect right wing extremist murders with the current Republican administration and/or the more than half of Americans voters who rejected the “woke” ideology that was placed upon this country over the past many years. If you look at this administration, its policies are not far right. It policies are to enforce existing law and reject many of the Democrat policies that have been put in place. Those who murder in the name of ideology are neither right nor left. They are murderers looking for justification to carry out their evil acts. A murderer whether left or right has more in common with other murderers that with any party.
Completely agree with this statement. The ideologies that have been prioritized by the previous administration is overwhelmingly different than that of a former Democratic administration like B. Clinton’s tenure.
My wife and I used to love going San Francisco and Seattle at least once every few years. The current amount of violence and crime in those areas is such a shame, and the areas are not safe to travel to as they once were. Political support in California and Washington are not directed to middle class citizens anymore.
If you ask either side many will swear it’s the others doing all of the terrorizing, and everyone is a hypocrite who applauds the death of their enemies. It’s just not true. I, for example, also see hypocrisy on the left even though I’m one of those purported Radical Left-Wing Lunatics (™ DJT – the Great Uniter). I still don’t mourn the death of stochastic terrorist Charlie Kirk. I also don’t condone the horrific act of his murder, and both of those truths can co-exist. The fact is that you can’t demonize an entire group of people based on the actions of a few, but it benefits the powers that be to keep us divided, so they stoke the flames to generate fear responses and certain behaviors, like voting against your own best interests. The people who get hurt along the way are just collateral damage.
A big part of the problem is that information has become so sequestered and not everyone is exposed to all sides of the story. The algorithms on social media are designed to show you more of what you like, and less or none of what you don’t, so you may never know trans people are not committing most of the mass shootings, which is a frequent claim of the right every time one these tragedies occurs. Don’t even get me started on Alex Jones.
If you get your news primarily from Fox and other right-wing sources you never hear the truth about the horrific things Trump says and does, just justifications for it. You would ground your own children for life if they behaved that way. I see more complete reporting of inconvenient truths from left-wing sources, but again that’s not universal. It was the left that drove Biden out, for example, but few on the right will criticize Trump. There is a saying that reality has a liberal bias.
We need to open our minds and consider information that doesn’t confirm what we already believe to be true. Be open to new evidence and willing to change our views when warranted by the facts. Read things we don’t agree with, and research opposing views in good faith and not just to prove what we think we already know.
There is a way through this but only if everyone does their part.
(using my usual handle, but real email address)
Walking on eggshells here, Ian, but the timing of posting these stats right after the earlier post makes the two feel connected in an uncomfortable way. I really do like your investigational journalism when you post it. Aloha.
These findings would only be “surprising” if one was “living under a rock.”
They are true facts, but has the argument on decency come down to a spreadsheet on which side is worse?
I appreciate what you’re saying, but here’s the thing. Our president wrongly insists that one side is definitely worse, that all violence and bad motives come from the left, leading to the administration’s efforts to silence all liberal or progressive criticism. All political violence is abhorrent, but these data appear to show it is not a monopoly of the left, and not even predominantly motivated by left ideology.
Yes, but your readers are not the President. Sincere Aloha.
Fair enough.
Pauly, I think the point is that if we can’t even agree on an objective set of facts, no rational discussion is possible. It’s not about blame, it’s about encouraging people to stop blaming others when not warranted by the evidence. When I see data that contradicts an opinion of mine it changes my view even if I don’t like it. Some people just dig their heels in deeper.
maybe it’s time to step away from the keyboard for a bit. or, perhaps, jump in headfirst with opinion writing rather than investigative pieces. fwiw, i think we have plenty of the former, and not enough of the latter. that’s why i’ve been coming here for, i think, maybe 20 years at this point. either way, take care of yourself.
Kalikala contributed good words here – thank you.
ICYMI Elizabeth Spiers wrote Charlie Kirk’s Legacy Deserves No Mourning which notes that “Kirk was fine with murder as long the right people were dying.”
It’s in The Nation and also posted in full on her blog along with the more recent post describing the hate that comes with criticizing the far-right.
People can choose NOT to be vile – Kirk (and many others) revel in hate-mongering.