What happened
A recent survey of 683 Democratic voters found that a significant number of them reacted positively to hypothetical scenarios involving the removal of President Donald Trump from office, including a military takeover and assassination. The survey found that 59% of respondents would feel positively about a military takeover, while 56% would feel positively if Trump died in his sleep. Even in the scenario where Trump was assassinated, 31% of respondents said they would feel very or somewhat positive.
These findings are not isolated, as previous surveys have also shown a disturbing trend of acceptance of violence among some segments of the political left. A 2025 survey found that 55.2% of left-of-center respondents considered the murder of Trump to be at least somewhat justified, while nearly 50% said the same about Elon Musk. The assassination of Charlie Kirk, the founder of Turning Point USA, also sparked a wave of online celebration and justification of his death.
The survey's results have raised concerns about the growing acceptance of political violence among some Democrats, with some arguing that it undermines the party's claims to be the guardians of democracy. The findings suggest that a significant number of Democratic voters are willing to tolerate or even celebrate violence as a means of achieving their political goals.
