New Study Suggests Majority Of Liberals Somewhat Justify Assassinating Trump And Elon Musk
A recent study by the Network Contagion Research Institute (NCRI) has revealed a concerning trend: a significant portion of left-leaning Americans believe that political violence, including assassination, is justifiable against figures such as President Donald Trump and the de facto head of the Department of Government Efficiency, Elon Musk. The study surveyed over 1,200 U.S. adults and found that 38% of respondents felt that assassinating Trump would be at least “somewhat justified,” with this figure rising to 55% among those identifying as left-leaning. Similarly, 31% of overall participants, and 48% of left-leaning individuals, expressed some level of justification for assassinating Musk.
This data suggests a troubling normalization of violent political rhetoric within certain segments of the population. The NCRI report highlights that this shift has been particularly pronounced following the December 2024 assassination of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson, allegedly by Luigi Mangione. Mangione’s actions have been glamorized in various online communities, leading to a proliferation of memes and discussions that endorse political violence.
Iconography of Luigi Mangione portrays him as a saintly figure. Nationwide demonstrations against the Trump administration over the weekend also featured a life-sized guillotine display and calls to depose—that is violently overthrow—the president. (RELATED: The Coordinated Attack on Conservatives: A RICO Case In The Making)
“What was formerly taboo culturally has become acceptable,” Joel Finkelstein, lead author of the report, said, as reported by the New York Post. “We are seeing a clear shift — glorification, increased attempts and changing norms — all converging into what we define as ‘assassination culture.’”
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The NCRI study traces the cultural shift back to the assassination of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson, allegedly by Luigi Mangione, in December 2024. What followed, researchers say, was a viral wave of memes that turned Mangione into a folk hero.
According to the study, these memes have sparked copycat behavior targeting other figures associated with wealth and conservative politics.
“It’s not just Luigi anymore,” Finkelstein said. “We’re seeing an expansion: Trump, Musk and others are now being openly discussed as legitimate targets, often cloaked in meme culture and gamified online dialogue.”
A ballot measure in California, darkly named the Luigi Mangione Access to Health Care Act, is just one real-world outgrowth of this online movement.
The study also points to platforms like BlueSky, favored by progressive users, as amplifiers of extremist ideation. These platforms have become hubs for content that glorifies political violence, contributing to the spread of what researchers term “assassination culture.”
Researchers warn that the increasing acceptance of such rhetoric is not confined to fringe groups but is becoming more mainstream, leading to real-world consequences. They emphasize the need for strong leadership to reassert moral norms and curb the escalation of violent political discourse.
They underscore the urgent need for a societal dialogue on the implications of normalizing political violence and the importance of fostering a political environment where disagreements are addressed through democratic means rather than through threats or acts of violence.
