President Donald Trump has promised retribution to left-wing groups in the wake of Charlie Kirk’s killing. However, the data does not back up his claims

After the Sept. 10, 2025, assassination of conservative political activist Charlie Kirk, President Donald Trump claimed that radical leftist groups foment political violence in the U.S., and "they should be put in jail.

Distinguishing madmen and militants is never simple, but the Prosecution Project, led by Michael Loadenthal of the University of Cincinnati, analyses felony criminal cases involving political violence to see which ideologies are most common.

Prominent far-right figures and elected officials have called for vengeance following the death of conservative activist Charlie Kirk.

This did not stop some figures from stoking outrage, particularly against “the left,” whom—despite lacking any evidence as to the shooter’s identity and motive—they blamed for the killing. Former DOGE head and Tesla CEO Elon Musk posted to his 225 million followers, “The Left is the party of murder.”

On Sept. 10, right-wing political commentator Charlie Kirk was shot while speaking at a campus event. Here's everything to know about Charlie Kirk.

The founder of Turning Point USA played a central role in organizing young voters and giving shape to the pro-Trump agenda. He was fatally shot during a speaking event in Utah.

Right-wing extremist violence has been more frequent and more lethal than left-wing violence. Politically motivated violence in the U.S. is rare compared with overall violent crime. Political violence has a disproportionate impact because even rare incidents can amplify fear, influence policy, and deepen societal polarization.