Researchers at the Network Contagion Research Institute and the Rutgers University Social Perception Lab say a growing "assassination culture" is emerging in the United States, a trend they link to online radicalization, meme-driven rhetoric and worrisome survey results showing acceptance of targeted killings.
The intelligence report, published in April and cited by law enforcement officials after recent killings, says political violence has become increasingly normalized among certain online communities and that references to killing public figures and wealthy executives have acquired a "meme aesthetic for political violence." The researchers warned that this normalization has accelerated since the July 2024 attack at a Donald Trump campaign rally, saying, "Political violence targeting Donald Trump and Elon Musk is becoming increasingly normalized." They urged political and cultural leaders to condemn the violence and recommended continued monitoring of what they describe as radical ideation.
The report cites survey data showing more than 30% of respondents said it would be "at least somewhat justified to murder" prominent billionaires; that figure rose to about 50% among respondents who self-identified as "left of center." The researchers said online platforms were instrumental in spreading symbolic endorsement of political violence, including the glorification, memefication and plausible-deniability framing of attacks and suspects.
Law enforcement and federal officials have pointed to a string of violent incidents as evidence of a worsening threat environment. On Sept. 10, 2025, Turning Point USA founder Charlie Kirk was fatally shot by a lone gunman while speaking at Utah Valley University in Orem, Utah. Authorities arrested 22-year-old Tyler Robinson 33 hours after the shooting. Officials said investigators recovered a suspected murder weapon loaded with rounds that bore etchings, including online memes and references to fighting fascism.
On Dec. 4, 2024, UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson was shot outside a Manhattan hotel; surveillance footage showed a masked assailant firing a small-caliber weapon. Police later arrested Luigi Mangione in connection with that killing. Prosecutors in New York have charged Mangione with second-degree murder, which carries a maximum sentence of life with the possibility of parole. A state judge recently dismissed a terrorism charge that had been filed against him; federal charges and an additional case in Pennsylvania also remain pending. Supporters of Mangione have at times attended court hearings and used imagery and slogans that researchers said function as coded endorsements of political violence.
Other recent attacks highlight the breadth of targets and motives, investigators say. On July 28, 2025, a gunman identified as Shane Tamura attacked an office building on Park Avenue in Manhattan, killing four people. In July 2024, a gunman opened fire at a Trump campaign rally in Butler, Pa., killing a bystander and wounding others; the gunman was killed by counter-snipers. Prosecutors are pursuing charges against an additional suspect connected to a separate alleged attempt that day.
Authorities have also pointed to symbolic elements at some crime scenes. Investigators said they recovered bullet casings etched with political messages outside the site of Thompson's killing, and described online postings that celebrate or mock violence. The NCRI–Rutgers report notes that references to Mangione and other suspects have been transformed into ironic or memeified support, complicating efforts to trace intent and to counter online advocacy of violence.
The killings prompted heightened security measures by multiple agencies. The New York Police Department issued a threat assessment warning that business leaders, political figures and other high-profile individuals may face elevated risks. The White House requested nearly $60 million from Congress to bolster security funding for the executive and judicial branches. Local campuses and private organizations have also reviewed protective measures for visiting speakers and executives.
Investigators said community reporting, targeted monitoring of violent rhetoric and coordinated law enforcement responses are key to prevention. The research teams recommended that technology platforms and policymakers treat the spread of violent memes and coded praise for attacks as an emergent risk. The report said the trend represents an "erosion of democratic norms and the growing acceptability of political violence in American discourse, particularly among ideologically extreme communities online."
Prosecutors and attorneys general announced ongoing investigations into the killings and related online activity. In court filings and public statements, prosecutors said evidence such as the etched casings, social-media posts and the materials found in suspects' possession will inform charges and sentencing. Defense lawyers have challenged some evidentiary claims in pretrial proceedings, and judges are hearing motions that could shape how online speech and symbolism are treated in the criminal cases.
Researchers and law enforcement officials emphasized that calls for violence remain a minority view overall, but they expressed concern about the speed with which violent ideas can spread and coalesce into real-world attacks. The report concluded that sustained public condemnation from political leaders, continued monitoring of at-risk online communities, and steps by platforms to limit the amplification of violent content are needed to counter an environment researchers describe as increasingly tolerant of assassination rhetoric.
Families of the victims and community groups have urged officials to take measures to prevent further attacks and to address the underlying rhetoric. Prosecutors said court proceedings will continue against the accused in the coming months, and officials said investigations into networks of online support and the sources of radical content are ongoing.