CSIS Study Finds Left-Wing Attacks Surpass Right-Wing Violence in U.S. for First Time in 30 Years

A recent bipartisan study by the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) reveals that for the first time in over 30 years, violent attacks attributed to left-wing extremists have surpassed those from right-wing extremists in the U.S. The CSIS analysis, which examined 750 domestic terror incidents from 1994 to mid-2025, defines left-wing terrorism as motivated by causes like environmentalism, anti-fascism, black nationalism, and LGBTQ+ rights, while right-wing terrorism is linked to white supremacy, anti-government views, and other traditional grievances. This shift coincides with a decade-long rise in left-wing violence, particularly since President Trump's political prominence starting in 2016, while right-wing violence has declined, possibly because some right-wing grievances have been incorporated into policies under President Trump’s administration. The assassination of conservative activist Charlie Kirk by a suspect reportedly radicalized by left-wing ideologies has intensified national debate about political violence. In response, President Trump signed an executive order designating Antifa as a domestic terrorist organization, despite it being a decentralized movement rather than a structured group. Overall, the data points to a changing landscape of domestic terrorism with increasing left-wing attacks and a historic low in right-wing violence.