We are seeing increasing support for violent action across social media, including those lamenting that the recent presidential assassination was not successful. Conservative sites have been featuring teachers and others who were upset that the recent effort failed, including one who has now lost her job. The current violence and violent rhetoric have been building for years as our leaders fuel the rage in the nation.
One poll by the University of Virginia Center for Politics found that 52 percent of Biden supporters say Republicans are now a threat to American life, while 47 percent of Trump supporters say the same about Democrats. Among Biden supporters, 41 percent believed violence is justified “to stop [Republicans] from achieving their goals.” An almost identical percentage, 38 percent, of Trump supporters embraced violence to stop Democrats.
The support for violence has been growing. One prior poll shows a quarter of Americans supporting political violence.
An earlier survey from the Baker Center at Georgetown University also captured the growing divide among Americans on this 250th anniversary year of our revolution. The public’s distrust of the media, democracy, and each other appears to be growing as one out of seven Americans now embraces political violence.
That survey also showed the continuing drop in support for the media. As the mainstream media continues to show the same bias and advocacy journalism that has been alienating many citizens, roughly half (49%) of the public has little or no confidence in the press. Roughly the same percentage believes that the press favors the Democrats in its coverage. The percentage with great confidence in the media is now just 18%.
One of the most chilling aspects of the survey is the drop in faith in each other and in democracy. A shocking 57% believe that members of the opposite party are a somewhat or very serious “threat to the U.S. and its people.” Only 69% say that democracy is “preferable to any other kind of government.”
The drop in support of democracy is particularly concerning with almost 10% of the public saying that political violence is “sometimes” warranted and 5% say that individual acts of political violence are “often” or “very often” justified.
With the third attempted assassination of President Donald Trump, the survey suggests and a sizable number of Americans may share the views of Cole Allen that even murder is now a legitimate, even righteous, response to political opponents.
The New York Times recently ran a podcast in which radical Hasan Piker, the New York Times Opinion Culture Editor Nadja Spiegelman, and New Yorker writer Jia Tolentino captured the moral relativism that has taken hold of the left in American society. They cheerfully described the rationale for everything from “microlooting” to murder.
In response to the latest assassination attempt, Hakeem Jeffries declared, “I don’t give a damn” about criticism over his reckless rhetoric. That is hardly surprising for a politician whose favorite political prop appears to be a baseball bat, but it shows how politicians hope to ride this rage wave back into power. For Jeffries, rage may be the ticket to becoming the next Speaker of the House of Representatives.
The sad fact is that violent rhetoric works in an age of rage. Virginia Democratic gubernatorial nominee Abigail Spanberger called upon her supporters to “Let your rage fuel you.” She then refused to withdraw her support for the Democratic candidate for Attorney General, Jay Jones, who once expressed his desire to kill his political opponents and his children.
It is the combination of this rising moral relativism with the failing faith in our system that represents an existential threat to our Republic. We will be facing unprecedented economic and social challenges in this decade. We have a system that is designed for such changes.
In my book, Rage and the Republic” I discuss what I view as a crisis of faith in our values and ourselves.
When Michel Guillaume Jean de Crèvecoeur asked, “What then is the new American, this new man?” he was a Frenchman. Later, the author, cartographer, farmer, and diplomat would adopt a new name as John Hector St. John as well as a new identity: an American farmer. ,,, What was so striking about Letters from an American Farmer was the fourth word: American. At a time when most people still identified with their states as Georgians or Virginians, Crèvecoeur wrote as one of a new people known as Americans…
The greatest challenge of this century may be a rediscovery of that essential character that seemed so clear to these early writers when they first came upon our shores. Call it a crisis of faith or a confusion of the times, but many seem unsure whether we represent something beyond the totality of our wealth or power. We were much more than that when we first assumed the moniker of Americans. The question, is what we are now? Or, perhaps more pointedly, what do we aspire to be in this new century?
Jonathan Turley is a law professor and the New York Times best-selling author of “Rage and the Republic: The Unfinished Story of the American Revolution.”
MAGA pundits like Turley are wilfully blind to MAGA hateful political rhetoric. Regarding the WHCA dinner, no Democrat office holder said anything other than it was a shame that the alleged shooter was able to access the Washington Hilton Hotel and that they are glad that no one was seriously injured. You want to talk about “rage rhetoric”? How about these examples of lies and “rage rhetoric”:
-Rick Scott accused Democrats of wanting Trump and Republicans murdered;
-Todd Blanche blamed non-MAGA media for being overly critical of Trump and calling Trump “horrible names for no reason”. In January, Blanche accused Gov Walz and the Minneapolic Mayor of being “terrorists”.
-Karoline Leavitt blamed “the entire Democratic Party” for inspiring violence;
-1. Trump accused six Democrat members of Congress of sedition, a crime which is punishable by death; 2. said Rob Reiner’s murder was because he spoke out against Trump and that Reiner had TDS; 3. Trump said his political opponents are fascists “guilty of treason”, calling them “enemies of the state”, “enemies within” and that Democrats are the “Party of Satan”; 4. When the passing of former FBI Director Robert Mueller, a decorated Viet Nam era Marine and Assistant US Attorney, was announced, Trump said: “Robert Mueller just died. Good, I’m glad he’s dead. He can no longer hurt innocent people! President DONALD J. TRUMP”. Trump is NOT an “innocent person”.
These are just a few examples that Turley omitted.
^ Why does the unhinged TDS-suffering Gigi keep posting here? She is mentally ill, a lunatic, and nobody reads her blather. It is always the same purple-blue avatar with MAGA MAGA MAGA blah blah blah, demonstrating severe mental illness ^
Perhaps a political blog site fluffer. The posts are so obtuse that they can never be taken serious seriously so perhaps just some proverbial gas on the rage fire🤣
Anonymous
Trump was 100% correct on every point you listed. Thank you for reinforcing as to why a Democrat should never be allowed near the Whitehouse again.
Despite the poll results which suggest an equivalence between Republicans and Democrats in acceptance of violence, we know that it is chiefly leftists who practice, encourage, excuse celebrate or fund violence.
Why? After all, they have the opportunity to fairly contest elections. Republicans do not try to change the election rules to frustrate their chances of success.
The answer seems to be that leftists have congealed into a class that has convinced itself that it is an aristocracy of sorts which is entitled by some divine right to govern the rest of America without limit or control. Anyone or anything that stands in its way is a target of righteous destruction by any means necessary.
edwardmahl: you couldn’t be more wrong. If anyone “has convinced itself that it is an aristocracy…entitled by some divine right to govern the rest of America without limit or control”, it’s Trump, aided and abetted MAGA. Trump constantly ignores our laws, the Constitution and our traditions. We didn’t have the deep political divisions we have now before Trump–he is the direct cause of all of the extreme political turmoil of the last 10 years, and the fact is, even after he leaves the White House, he’s never going to shut up or go away because his pathetic ego needs affirmation—he NEEDS those cameras in his face, he NEEDS to attack Democrats and anyone else who stands in his way or, more importantly, is more successful than he was. He NEEDS the Nobel Peace Prize and tried bullying goading and everthing to get one–but failed–so he took someone else’s prize. He NEEDS gold embellishments everywhere, that he thinks are befitting the King he thinks he is. He thinks he can tear down part of the White House without permission and build some gaudy monument to himself that will destroy the aesthetic of the White House by dwarfing it. He insults former presidents by putting childish little ditties under their portraits in the White House–instead of Biden’s photo, he put a picture of an auto pen–a device he also uses. He chose his administration based solely on fealty to him–people who will do whatever they are told without pushback and regardless of their oath to the Constitution. He thinks he can just bully and bomb the entire world without consequence and has bullied Republicans into backing down and letting him have his way. Now, thanks to the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, gas prices and groceries are through the roof–something else he lies about. He lied to get into office.
Trump wanted to be President because of his massive ego–he needed the power, the adulation, the control and was and still is, insanely jealous of Barak Obama. He began by lying about Obama not being born in the United States, made a baseless promise to produce evidence of that, but never did because it doesn’t exist–just like proof of voter fraud in 2020 has never materialized, and never will. He just can’t stop going after his perceived enemies–Blanche, obeying Trump’s command to “get Comey”, just got another indictment–that will go nowhere. After appeasing Tillis by having Pirro drop the baseless investigation against Jerome Powell–Trump announced that the dismissal of charges was not the end of it. That’s because Chairman Powell refused to let Trump dictate interest rates and refused to resign. Trump lied about who appointed Powell in the first place–it was him! I’ll never forget the interview with Meredith Vieiera, in which Trump said he had investigators in Hawaii, and “you won’t believe what they’re finding”. That much is true–they found nothing. But, Trump still wouldn’t back down about the birther lie and has never apologized.
To defend Trump and his lying and obvious incompetence and unfitness to be POTUS, MAGA media was born, financed by billionaires who want rollbacks of consumer and environmental protections and massive tax breaks. They shovel chum to the gullibles every single day, which includes attacks against Democrats and ignoring or explaining away the lies, egregious incompetence and failures of Trump. MAGA media is a large cause of the political turmoil we are experiencing. Trump doesn’t “contest” elections–any time he doesn’t get his way–the election is “rigged”. More lies.
why are you afraid to show youe name
Would you show your name after that bunch of garbage? Guess what, the people that matter know who it is…
the demons are a violent cult that wish death to any republicans that stand in their way, its that simple
The American republic ended after 9/11 when Americans perpetrated torture and war crimes.
What you are seeing today is what happens when leaders have no rules and no restraint on their authority.
America is an imperial nation, no longer unique in the world with a 34 time felon in charge.
A felon.. Persecuted and indicted by communists er- democrats. Meanwhile.. Ped0 joe and his son hunter walked away unscathed. What were you saying again..? /s
…setting up the Courts, manufacturing Cases, and digging deep into the Darkside to speak as dirty as possible about a persecuted man who had to deal with invented fake crimes (especially love Tish James by law guilty of mortgage fraud leading one of the charges…) to be able to call Trump a ‘felon’ hoping it would end his Poltical Career.. but.. it BACKFIRED.. and.. the more people like this Anon. Fool posting here who no longer believes in our Country and keeps drinking the kool aid, beating the drum about the fake felon, the more WE THE PEOPLE are gearing up to make sure it BACKFIRES AGAIN.. and AGAIN.. and indeed… and that we also bring those responsible for manufacturing these FAKE HOAXES to Justice… Stay Tuned..
OT – a free speech story the professor has not yet covered:
Does preaching on John 3:16 — For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life — constitute trying to influencing someone on abortion? The police in Northern Ireland thought so, so they arrested the preacher because he was not far from a hospital where abortions were performed. He was on public property and open-air preaching and singing religious songs, but the authorities worry that a person, somewhere somehow, might over hear it and be influenced one way or another about having an abortion. The preacher is being criminally prosecuted. I guess it’s worth censoring speech on the basis that someone might interpret John 3:16 to says something about abortion, even though it says absolutely nothing about abortion. The sermon itself also had nothing to do with abortion or pro-life or pro-choice.
https://www.foxnews.com/media/us-monitoring-concerning-uk-prosecution-retired-pastor-who-preached-john-316-near-hospital
The Founding Fathers did not envision an America that was free from rebellion. They themselves rebelled over tax issues while we have much larger issues at hand, like a government that has decided to ignore any sort of concern for people it doesn’t like or can’t use to its advantage.
Except for the Civil War, violence was avoided because the government moderated and balanced extreme policies. We followed norms. Change was incremental. Without that we go back to the original prediction of the tree of liberty periodically being refreshed by the blood of patriots. It IS a shame, but it is also inevitable if we don’t start counting every human being as having value and we continue to insist on discarding good faith negotiation.
Let it come down!
America needed no Civil War.
All that needed to be done was for Congress to legislate; the battle should have been won with votes, but Lincoln et al. could not, so they prosecuted an absurd, unconstitutional war.
And secession is not prohibited and is fully constitutional; in fact, secession was included in some state documents that ratified the Constitution—that those states would resume their sovereignty if they were not happy with the union.
A Nation Divided: When Politics Turns Dangerous
Why does America feel increasingly unstable? The answer is not just disagreement—it’s a system of institutions that amplifies mistrust and rewards division, pushing political conflict toward something more dangerous.
Education itself has become a political battleground, while media fragmentation—documented by the Pew Research Center—feeds Americans entirely different versions of reality.
Politics has followed the same path. Trust in Congress remains low, per Gallup, while rulings like Citizens United v. FEC reinforce the belief that power responds more to money than to voters. In this environment, opponents are no longer rivals—they are treated as threats.
The consequences are no longer theoretical. This is the trajectory of a system where incentives reward outrage, punish compromise, and erode trust. Most Americans reject violence—but the barriers that once kept it unthinkable are weakening.
The United States is not collapsing. But it is drifting toward a place where political conflict feels existential—and in that environment, the risk is not just dysfunction. It is escalation.
What happens next is not inevitable—it depends on whether these patterns are recognized and confronted.
The left is now fully nihilist. That is, they reject all facts which clash with their ideology and all human values, honesty, competence, integrity, excellence, beauty, etc. as such. What’s left inside their heads is hatred for the good for being good and for life itself including the concept that each of us has responsibility for our own lives. This hatred leads directly to a chronic uncontrollable anger which manifests itself in ugly violence including trying to murder those with whom they disagree and a desperate desire for, and serious attempt to bring about, some form of left wing police state both here in America and world wide.
Watch Jefferies speak. He can’t talk without wild waving of his arms (especially his right arm) and finger pointing. If someone could tie his arms he wouldn’t be able to speak. Lots of Democrats do the same. Nothing of value is said but it looks dramatic. Bernie Sanders does the same.
Watch Pelosi sometimes, she could wave in an aircraft on a carrier in 30 knot crosswinds and 20ft seas!
It is the MAGAs who still celebrate the traitorous human trash of Ashli Babbitt who is the MAGA poster child for political violence. So stop with your fake crocodile tears.
Wow, you really are a despicable person….Sally.
Would you not see a parallel yet difference between Ashli Babbit and Robert Muelller? Both patriotic Americans wanting to serve their country. Of which one was a life of serving the country and standing up in the face of the 2020 election fraud that has now been completely revealed, the other serving during war only to continue with a life of serving himself and his Masters.
Both GOPpers
Bob Mueller was a decorated Viet Nam war Marine veteran, the 6th Director of the FBI, an Assistant US Attorney, and Deputy Attorney General. Babbitt was a gullible person who believed Trump’s lie that he really won the election in 2020 but was cheated from what he called his “landslide victory” due to widespread election fraud. She followed his command to “fight like hell”, so she was trying to stop Congress from certifying Biden’s victory by trying to get to the floor of the house. She was shot breaching the last barrier to the Speaker’s Lobby, after disregarding a Capitol Police Officer’s command to “stop”. THERE WAS NEVER ANY 2020 ELECTION FRAUD. That has been proven. It’s tragic that so many gullible people believe Trump’s lies–then and now. Babbitt is dead because of it, and MAGA media shares the blame for publicizing Trump’s lies and failing to push back with the truth when audit after audit proved Trump lost. Trump took our taxpayer money and paid millions to her family, even though she was committing a crime at the time she was shot. There is not, and has never been any “completely revealed” election fraud. Mueller headed up the investigation of Trump’s ties to Russia, which even the Republican Senate Intelligence Committe said was true. Russia did try to help Trump win. Mueller was a patriot. Babbitt was an unfortunate MAGA cult member who paid with her life for her devotion to a narcissistic liar.
Ashli Babbitt was a better person, human, and American than you will ever be.
ok judgy mcjudgerson.
Ashli Babbitt was killed by Officer Byrd because she climbed through a window in a locked door. She clearly was not placing anyone in danger of immediate serious bodily injury or death. That was a bad shooting and is clearly murder. Yet, every Democrat and the entire press corps celebrated her killing. They did this because they know she was a conservative and that is what they want for every conservative.
She was murdered by Officer Byrd, not killed, a huge difference, there was Zero lethal threat and he shot an unarmed 90# woman through a wire reinforced window. Compare this to George Floyd, a glaring two faced justice system. Disgusting
nope killed
When you are in the process of committing a crime–in this case, criminal trespass–and you ignore a police officer’s command to “halt”, and then get shot–you are in the wrong. Police officers who use lethal force to stop persons who are committing a crime, and who refuse to obey the order to “cease and desist” are NOT committing murder. Whether she did or didn’t have any weapon is irrelevant–and the Officer had no way of knowing one way or the other. The point is, she continued trying to proceed to the Speaker’s Lobby in the face of a police officer pointing a gun at her through a broken side light. Her presence at the entrance of the Speaker’s Lobby was itself wrongful–to get to that location, she had to join those who beat up cops to breach the security perimeter and unlawfully trespass by entering the Capitol through a broken door and/or window to gain entrance to the Speaker’s Lobby. Her intention after getting to the Floor of the House? We don’t have to guess. Her fellow rioters were chanting “Hang Mike Pence”–this was after Trump told his fans that Pence was not “doing the right thing” after he couldn’t bully Pence into breaking the law. The Police had no choice other than to stop her. They would have been derelict in their duties to have allowed her to proceed, especially if members of Congress had been injured or killed. The crowd also intended to harm Nancy Pelosi if they could have gotten to her.
Since you are a MAGA cultist–explain to me HOW the killings of Renee Good and Alex Pretti were NOT murder. They were NOT committing any crimes. How can you defend Babbitt, who WAS committing a crime, and was in a place where she had no right to be, but not the murders of Renee Good and Alex Pretti, both of whom were on a public street, exercising their First Amendment right to protest Trump’s army of ICE thugs. To date, Trump’s DOJ continues protecting the ICE officer murderers from prosecution.
George Floyd was murdered by asphyxiation by Derek Chauvin, who had him on the ground, ignored his respiratory distress (“I can’t breathe”) and continued kneeling on his neck until he was dead. There is no two-faced justice system except in MAGA world.
George Floyd
Who did Ashli Babbitt hurt? You are an idiot.
A lack of law and order will foster Chaos. Blame the smucks pretending to be judges.
“so the people will be a mixture and not remain united,…..”-2k year old prediction the population of the 5th world power to rise sequentially after Babylon. A “divided kingdom”, without a singular ruler in this 100% accurate prophecy through 4.#5 gets destroyed by god’s kingdom(Daniel 2:31-44), which will endvdeath(Rev21:3-5); with billions being resurrected(Daniel 12:2/Rev.20:4-6).,i.e.,”born again” like Jesus was(Rev1:5)!
I am confused. Since when has Turley been against political violence? It is only bad when non MAGAs do it?
Childish “whatabout.” Prove that Professor Turley has in any way endorsed political violence by anyone. You can’t.
OldManFromKS,
This is the same “Sally” annony that made this childish comment, https://jonathanturley.org/2026/04/27/the-monsters-among-us-the-new-york-times-makes-that-case-for-microlooting-to-murder/comment-page-3/#comment-2630112
An X George Svelaz Dennis Gigi Anonyname by any other name…
Keywords….Nope
Valid question. Turley is on record supporting political violence when it helps MAGAs.
That’s an invalid answer to oldman’s valid question. You cite a “record” of Turley supporting political violence. Validate your claim by providing that “record”.
Show us the record the professor is supposedly on supporting political violence of any kind.
Sally and Gigi related to each other?? Sisters??
No, twins. The fetus split one brain into two halves….
t
You sure are confused!!! Dementia??
A few timely headlines from the Bee:
– Liberals applaud the improving diversity of would-be Trump assassins
– After failed assassination, Democrats observe customary 5-minute pause on calling Trump ‘Hitler’
– CNN reports loud noises at White House correspondents’ dinner
– Substitute informs class their teacher had to take an assassination day
– Nation longs for good old days when comedians were funny and didn’t wish death on people
– Trump enters ceasefire talks with Democrats
– SPLC says funding KKK is only 3% of what they do
Stunning horrific news.
I may be mistaken, but aren’t judges sworn to uphold the constitution and laws of their jurisdictions. Where in the definition of uphold is “twist, turn and/or defile.” Why can’t these rogue judges be removed for wanton disregard of their oath?
Dear Mr. Turley, some dear folks who post here often decry the state of our public education as one of many causes contributing to the state of our nation. I will agree with that assessment, however, I well remember the 60’s radicals and our public schools were in better shape back then. What is the same then as now is the media amplifying their causes. I was too young to rebel but did feel the effects of the riots around the country as they showed up each evening through our black and white television and then progressed to the evening supper as my dad and older sister would argue over that day’s events.
In argument as to what is being threatend, the term ‘democracy’ is applied far too loosely when our form of government is a constitutional republic. It is the construct of that institution which is failing in the key areas which characterize it: representation, respect for constitutional restraints, and protection of minority rights.
Wow! A breath of fresh air!
Are you smarter than a 5th grader was a TV game show. The dems have a backroom with a standard 5th grade classroom. That classroom daily discusses world events. Adults then rush to apply their thoughts and conclusions. Where else could such juvenile ideas become platforms. Oh I know, let’s have boys in girls bathrooms, Beavis exclaims teeheesnort.
And you CONTRAST this with Fifth Grade thinking?
I do not think that the prog/left can be turned into something rational at this point. This will only continue as long as progs control the media/education industry and there are sufficient “woke” people of wealth who fund them on their pernicious and lethal path. Talking is of no use as we see in countless debates – brick wall mentality at this point.
As the good professor points out in “Rage and the Republic,” we are not a democracy precisely to avoid becoming a mobocracy; however, when one branch of government exits the field as Congress has done, a powerful place to vent disputes peacefully also exits the field.
Voters should demand “Ranked-Choice Open Primary Elections” – it will help unite Americans and the winning candidate will get more than 50% of the votes from all parties. Also get dark money out of elections, voters should know who finances candidates.
When a winning candidate receives less than 50% support from voters, a large percentage of the voters don’t respect the winners.
Indirectly but more important, it forces all candidates to represent all voters of all parties. Today probably most voters feel like this president doesn’t represent their interests. Previously Republican voters felt the same way about Biden.