Why Political Violence in the US Keeps Rising Under Trump

Political violence has moved from the margins of American politics toward the center of national life, and the shift now demands far more than ritual outrage.

In a new discussion, Redi Tlhabi speaks with Professor Robert Pape about the rise of political violence in the United States under Trump, focusing on a pattern that many Americans once treated as unthinkable. The conversation lands on a stark question: when violent rhetoric, intimidation, and threats begin to shape political behavior, what does that do to a democracy that depends on public trust and peaceful competition?

The real warning sign is not only the violence itself, but the way it starts to feel normal.

Reports and past research cited around this debate suggest the danger does not come only from isolated incidents. It grows when political identity hardens, institutions lose credibility in the eyes of voters, and leaders or movements frame opponents as existential enemies rather than rivals. That climate can turn grievance into permission, giving small but committed groups the confidence to act — and giving a wider audience reasons to excuse them.

The significance reaches beyond campaign-season headlines. Political violence changes how citizens gather, speak, vote, and organize. It pressures officials, intimidates opponents, and narrows the space for ordinary civic life. Even when attacks or threats come from a minority, their effects spread widely because fear changes behavior faster than laws or institutions can respond.

What happens next matters because the line between democratic conflict and democratic breakdown often becomes clear only after it has been crossed. If this trend continues, the US will face deeper questions about accountability, political leadership, and the resilience of its institutions. The warning from conversations like this one is simple: a country cannot treat political violence as background noise without risking far more dangerous shocks ahead.