Call Out Trump’s Selective Empathy & Rhetoric on Political Violence

The assassination of Charlie Kirk demands that you finally confront President Trump’s dangerous rhetoric and hypocritical responses to political violence. Within hours of Kirk’s murder, Trump issued extensive statements, lowered flags to half-staff, and promised Medal of Freedom honors while blaming “radical left” rhetoric. Yet when Paul Pelosi was brutally attacked with a hammer, Trump offered no statement, later promoted conspiracy theories, and joked about the attack at rallies. When Minnesota Democratic legislators were killed in June, he refused to even call their governor. This selective empathy creates what violence researchers call a “permission structure” that signals to supporters that violence against certain targets may be acceptable. Trump’s inflammatory language has escalated dramatically, with academic analysis showing his violent vocabulary increased 267% from 2016 to 2024. Northwestern University researchers have documented direct statistical links between his social media posts and surges in violence, while FBI data shows domestic terrorism investigations increased 357% since 2013. His systematic use of dehumanizing language calling opponents “vermin” and promising “retribution” follows patterns seen in authoritarian regimes. When leaders consistently attack judges, election officials, and political opponents, these individuals face documented surges in threats and harassment that create measurable risks of violence. The contrast with Democratic leadership is stark. When Republicans face violence, Democrats immediately condemn attacks and offer bipartisan support. President Biden personally called Trump after assassination attempts and delivered an Oval Office address calling for lowering political temperatures. This asymmetric response pattern matters because research shows that leadership reactions either escalate or diminish future violence. Trump’s failure to condemn violence from his supporters while exploiting attacks against Democrats undermines the democratic norms that protect all of us. Political violence has reached levels not seen since the 1960s, with over 9,400 threats against Congress members in 2024 alone. The United States now ranks among the world’s 50 most conflict-ridden countries. We demand you publicly call out Trump’s double standards, condemn his inflammatory rhetoric regardless of party loyalty, and support measures that hold political leaders accountable for language that incites violence. The 50% of voters who didn’t support Trump deserve leaders who will defend democratic institutions over partisan politics. Your silence enables the continued deterioration of norms that puts every elected official and citizen at risk.