White Nationalism Fuels Tolerance for Political Violence Nationwide

November 28, 2025

Researchers from three U.S. universities conducted a study examining the factors driving Americans' support for political violence, finding that white nationalist beliefs are the strongest predictor of such attitudes. The study surveyed 1,300 Americans about their views on using violence against the government under various scenarios, revealing that approximately half supported violence if the government violated citizens' rights. Unlike politically motivated violence in the 1970s that targeted property to make statements, today's violence directly targets individuals with deadly intent, as evidenced by attacks on lawmakers and political figures.

Who is affected

Members of Congress and their families (threats increased 1,400% from 2016 to 2025)
Mayors, governors, and political activists
Specific victims mentioned: Republican lawmakers at 2017 baseball practice, Paul Pelosi (husband of Nancy Pelosi), Democrat Melissa Hortman and her husband
The 1,300 Americans surveyed in the study
White and nonwhite Americans who may hold white nationalist sentiments
General U.S. population experiencing increased political violence
Democratic systems and institutions facing destabilization

What action is being taken

Researchers from Arizona State University, University at Albany, and University of South Florida are conducting studies on Americans' attitudes toward political violence
Academic and journalistic scrutiny is being applied to understand the resurgence of political violence
U.S. Capitol Police are tracking and reporting threats against Congress members
Decentralized white nationalist groups, such as Active Clubs, are training and networking
White nationalist groups are actively operating in all but two U.S. states (Alaska and Vermont)

Why it matters

Political violence threatens U.S. political stability and democratic systems, as evidenced by historical collapses of democracies in Italy, Germany, Spain, Portugal, and Romania. The shift from 1970s property-targeted symbolic violence to today's individual-targeted deadly violence represents a dangerous escalation with intent to annihilate rather than protest. White nationalism's emergence as the strongest predictor of support for political violence is particularly concerning given that approximately 25% of Americans hold white nationalist sentiments, even without belonging to organized groups. This widespread tolerance for violence creates an atmosphere where actual violent acts become more acceptable and likely to continue, posing a fundamental threat to American democracy and social cohesion.

What's next

No explicit next steps stated in the article

Read full article from source: The San Diego Voice & Viewpoint