The article argues that political violence in the United States has moved from the fringes towards the centre of public life, increasingly affecting elected officials from across the political spectrum. It presents threats against Representatives Pramila Jayapal and Marjorie Taylor Greene as evidence that intimidation is becoming a recurring form of political pressure, rather than an exceptional phenomenon.

Political violence declined after the 1990s but rose sharply from around 2016, reaching levels not seen since the upheavals of the 1960s. The article says right-wing violence remains more frequent and deadly, particularly against elections, federal institutions and public officials, while left-wing violence is more common during mass protests and often involves property damage or clashes with police; both are linked to polarised identities, distrust in institutions and rhetoric portraying political opponents as enemies.