Donald Trump the Megathread part II - Mod Warning updated in OP 12/2/26

Look at the shooter that missed Trump by a few inches.

He wasn't Bob lee swagger if you get my meaning.

"Look at the shooter that missed Trump by a few inches."

Something we can agree on……

..

I have not watched the video and have no interest in doing so, however commentary I had heard that a last second movement to turn his head changed the shot from direct headshot to neck indicating they probably have a lot of skill and either military/ military training or a substantial personal interest in guns and in particular sniper style, either hunting or range shooting.

The most likely scenarios here are, probably in order of likelihood.

Highly Possible

A deranged individual with military or equivalent training but with personal views divergent from Kirk. You may find its potentially one particular thing relating to a personal issue which turned it to hate

A deranged Fan boy with military or equivalent training who had an interaction with Kirk at some stage and obsession turned into hate when he did not get the response he hoped for.

Less Likely

A sociopathic individual with military or equivalent training who expresses polar opposite views and who performed this action in a calculated manner to take out an "opponent"

A sociopathic individual with military or equivalent training who expresses similar views and who performed this action in a calculated manner to stoke a reaction against the left

Very Unlikely

An organisation external to the US organising a hit to further destabilise and divide

An extreme right wing organisation internal within the US organising a hit to further destabilise and divide

An extreme left wing organisation within the US taking out an opponent in a co-ordinated manner

Almost zero chance

Coordinated with knowledge of political figures on either side

Ah here we go, Culture War starts in 3,..2..,1…

Nah I am not playing that game or arguing with someone random guy on the net after someone gets murdered to win internet points…

He turned his head, the bullet then struck the ear

so I guess your 45 plus and are not swayed by targeted algorithms, bravo. however there is a massive cohort of younger people who use tiktok, Instagram etc so just because you didn't know who he was most definitely does not reflect the broader population.

Why did you skip over the first definition. Bit MAGA?

something given or contributed voluntarily as due or deserved

Or even a foreign agency.The person has not been found yet.I am not sure how difficult a shooting this was .(seemingly not too hard and they were undisturbed unlike with Trump)

One always asks cui bono and I don't think we have an answer yet as this could benefit (and harm) quite a few interests.

Of course it could just be a private individual.

I think I heard the maga side suggesting it could be a transgender person (wasn't there a very recent case along those lines?)

Will the shooter be caught ?

Does this distract from Epstein ?

Will Trump try to ensure that it does?

I would imagine Peter Mandelson will be staying well clear of high rise windows for the foreseeable! I mean who would ever have guessed that Jeffrey would commit suicide!

1) that's not what you said

2) ^^^^^ that's not what happened

I posted the below on the now closed "Charlie Kirk Shot" thread on politics.
I'm reposting it here as there is a constant refrain with little in the way of actual evidence, claiming that Right Wing & Conservative thinkers are constant victims of Left Wing violence.

The constant claims of "left wing violence" in American politics, without substantiation or example is quite tiresome. Particularly when the response to political murder or terrorist plots by right wingers, is to equate the damage caused during BLM or Anti-Trumo protests, with murder and terrorism.

If anything matters, it's got to be objectivity, facts and genuine comparators.
So I asked the most right-wing AI around, Elon's baby, Grok, to analyse political violence in the United States and to break out the numbers on a partisan, left vs. right basis.
On the basis of the answer Grok has come up with?
Somebody here needs to tell Elon, that according to some here, his AI is broken 🤷‍♂️(Apparently)

I have left the Grok response exactly as it was received.I added the data in table format for readability as Grok gave me the table in markup.The prompt used, to ensure no claim of bias in how the question was framed, was.

In an analysis of political violence in the USA when it's broken out on a left v right basis.Which is the more violent side?

Overview of Political Violence in the USA: Left vs. Right Analysis

Political violence in the United States, particularly when categorized by ideological leanings (left-wing vs. right-wing extremism), has been a growing concern, especially since the mid-2010s. This includes acts such as terrorism, assaults, murders, and clashes at demonstrations, often motivated by ideological goals like racial supremacy, anti-government sentiments, or opposition to perceived systemic injustices. Data from reliable sources, including academic studies, government reports, and non-partisan trackers like the Anti-Defamation League (ADL) and the Armed Conflict Location & Event Data Project (ACLED), consistently show an asymmetry: right-wing extremism has been responsible for the majority of incidents, fatalities, and lethal attacks in recent years.

Key caveats:

- Definitions matter: Political violence here refers to ideologically motivated acts, including terrorism (pre-planned significant violence for political ends), hate crimes, and clashes. Non-ideological violence (e.g., domestic disputes or criminal acts by extremists) is sometimes included in broader counts but excluded from core ideological analyses.

- Data focuses on post-2010 trends, as extremism has surged with online radicalization and polarization.

- Both sides contribute, but the scale and lethality differ significantly. Left-wing violence is often more property-focused (e.g., vandalism during protests), while right-wing violence more frequently targets people.

Key Data and Trends

Multiple datasets highlight the disparity. Below is a summary table comparing left-wing and right-wing political violence based on major sources (covering 2010–2025 where available). Figures include murders, terrorist incidents, and violent clashes.

Fatalities Breakdown
Since 1990, right-wing extremists have caused over 520 ideologically motivated deaths (NIJ data), vs. ~78 for left-wing. Post-2020, right-wing accounts for 90–100% of extremist murders annually (ADL).

Trends Over Time

- **Pre-2016**: Left-wing violence (e.g., Weather Underground in 1970s) was more prominent but declined sharply; right-wing rose with militia movements.

- **2016–2020**: Surge in right-wing (e.g., Charlottesville 2017; El Paso 2019; Capitol riot 2021). BLM protests saw left-wing property violence but right-wing counter-attacks more deadly.

- **2021–2025**: Right-wing remains dominant (e.g., Buffalo 2022 shooting; election threats). Left-wing incidents (e.g., 2020 riots) decreased; 2024–2025 saw Islamist uptick but still below right-wing. DHS notes high overall DVE risk tied to elections and polarization.

Types of Violence

- **Right-Wing**: Often lethal and targeted (e.g., mass shootings at synagogues, Black churches; plots against officials). Motives: White supremacy, anti-government (militias), election denial. Lone actors common (e.g., 50% of incidents per ADL).

- **Left-Wing**: More protest-related (e.g., vandalism, clashes with police/right-wing groups). Groups like Antifa focus on disruption; rare fatalities (e.g., 1 in Portland 2020). ACLED: 93% of 2020 BLM events peaceful.

- **Government Assessments**: FBI/DHS classify right-wing (racially motivated violent extremists, anti-government) as the top domestic threat. 2025 HTA: High risk from both, but right-wing more organized and lethal.

Factors Driving the Asymmetry

- **Ideological Differences**: Studies (e.g., START/UMD) show right-wing ideologies correlate with higher violence propensity (e.g., dehumanization of "others"). Left-wing often emphasizes non-violence or property sabotage.

- **Online Radicalization**: Right-wing extremism spreads via platforms like 4chan/8kun; "grab-bag" radicals mix ideologies for lone attacks (Reuters).

- **Polarization and Events**: Trump-era rhetoric boosted right-wing (e.g., 357% rise in FBI cases 2013–2021). 2020 protests amplified clashes, but right-wing inflicted more deaths.

- **Underreporting/Perception**: Media bias claims exist (e.g., Newsweek on left-wing), but data (e.g., AP fact-check) refute; right-wing violence is objectively higher.

Conclusion: The More Violent Side

Based on comprehensive data from academic, government, and independent sources,
**the right-wing side is more violent**.

It accounts for the overwhelming majority of political violence incidents, especially lethal ones, in the US over the past decade. This includes 90–100% of extremist murders and the bulk of terrorist plots.
While left-wing violence occurs (e.g., during protests), it is less frequent, less deadly, and more focused on property or disruption.
The threat remains elevated into 2025, per DHS, with risks from election denialism and online extremism.
Addressing it requires non-partisan efforts like better intelligence sharing (GAO recommendations) and countering radicalization across the spectrum.