Approximately one in four Americans have indicated a willingness to sanction political violence as a means to “rescue” their nation, according to the 14th annual American Values Survey, conducted by the non-profit Public Religion Research Institute (PRRI) in collaboration with the Brookings Institution think tank. The survey, released amid an ever-deepening ideological chasm in America, illustrates an alarming uptick in support for political violence over the last two years, with approximately 23% of Americans now agreeing with the notion that “due to the significant departure from our intended path, genuine American patriots might need to employ violent means to safeguard our nation.” This percentage has escalated from 15% in 2021.
The PRRI has intermittently posed this question in eight separate surveys since March 2021, marking the first instance in which backing for political violence has exceeded the 20% threshold in the general population. Strikingly, one in three Republicans now believe that “true American patriots” may need to resort to violence to salvage the country, as compared to 22% of independents and 13% of Democrats, reflecting increases since 2021. An even more pronounced inclination toward political violence is observed among white evangelical Protestants, where nearly one in three concur that patriots may be compelled to employ violent means to protect the nation, surpassing all other religious demographics.
Support for political violence is amplified among individuals who firmly believe that the 2020 election was stolen from Donald Trump (46%), those who maintain a favorable view of Trump (41%), adherents of the so-called “replacement theory” (41%), and proponents of the core doctrine of white Christian nationalism, positing that God intended America as a new promised land for European Christians (39%).
Robert P. Jones, President and Founder of PRRI, noted, “The political climate in America is escalating, and this year’s American Values Survey outcomes mirror this stark reality. Our last presidential election marked a historical departure without a peaceful transfer of power. Given the ongoing instances of political violence and the looming 2024 election, there is genuine cause for concern over the increasing number of Americans expressing openness to political violence.”
Former President Donald Trump, who currently faces 91 criminal charges across four jurisdictions, has increasingly adopted more incendiary rhetoric in recent months, leading to concerns about the normalization of such discourse. Trump has baselessly accused General Mark Milley, the former Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, of “treason” and advocated for his execution, while also calling for the summary shooting of shoplifters by the police and asserting that migrants crossing the southern border are “tainting the fabric of our nation.”
Despite his unsubstantiated claims of a stolen 2020 election, Trump is currently the frontrunner for the Republican presidential nomination in 2024. The PRRI survey reveals that three out of four Americans believe that the future of democracy is jeopardized in the upcoming election year. This apprehension is most pronounced among Democrats (84%), but it is also shared by 77% of Republicans and 73% of independents.
Furthermore, PRRI has been monitoring the QAnon conspiracy movement since 2021. A notable surge in QAnon adherents is evident across the political spectrum, rising from 14% to 23%, while the number of QAnon dissenters has diminished from 40% to 29%. The prevalence of QAnon believers is notably higher among Republicans, who are twice as likely to embrace it (29% compared to 14% among Democrats) and significantly less likely to reject it (14% compared to 43% among Democrats).
Conducted among a representative sample of 2,525 adults from all 50 states and the District of Columbia, the survey involved online interviews conducted between August 25 and 30, 2023. The results underscore the increasingly fractious and polarized nature of American politics and society, raising concerns about the health of the nation’s democracy.
