Rising Threats to Members of Congress: New CPOST Study Shows Threats against Members of Congress Increased Sharply in 2017,  Targeting both Democrats and Republicans Chicago Project on Security and Threats
Robert A. Pape  |  October 8, 2025

In this report, CPOST presents the results of its indepth analysis of nearly 400 charged threats to members of Congress from 2001 to 2024.  The data shows such threats increased by 600% from 2016 to 2017 and have remained high since.  Critically, the data show that members of Congress from both parties -- Democrats and Republicans -- are being targeted.  Together, the rise in threats to America's political leaders from both parties is a key indicator the U.S. is in era of violent populism, the report argues. Read the report here.