Gen Z Political Violence: Shocking Survey Data Reveals Dangerous Trend

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Over the last year we’ve witnessed numerous violent and oftentimes deadly attacks motivated by political views. Trump was shot and nearly killed in July of 2024 in Pennsylvania on the campaign trail, Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro had a Molotov Cocktail thrown into the Governor’s Mansion in April 2025, Rep. Melissa Hortman and her husband were fatally shot in Minnesota in June 2025, and Charlie Kirk was assassinated on September 10, 2025.

What has happened in this country? Why would someone go to such extreme and horrific actions over different political beliefs? One must ask oneself; why is it happening so often and how do we stop it?

Sadly, recent surveys give clues to the changing values and beliefs of Gen Z and Millennials that should give us great concern for the future of this nation.

Using Google AI, the following report was generated, and it shook me to my core.

Surveys from 2024 and 2025 indicate a concerning trend of increased acceptance of violence among young people, especially political violence. While older generations largely reject violence as a political tool, a significant minority of young adults find it acceptable in some circumstances. Studies suggest this trend is tied to political polarization, social media, and broader systemic frustrations. 

Key findings from recent surveys.

• Worrying acceptance of political violence:
  • An August 2024 survey by Citizen Data found that only 44% of Gen Z and 67% of millennials believed that violence against elected officials was never acceptable, compared to nearly 90% of older generations.
  • The same report found that nearly half of Gen Z and about 2 in 10 millennials found it acceptable to “forcibly occupy public buildings” or “kill or physically harm” elected officials, respectively.
• General political violence: A September 2025 YouGov poll showed that among adults under 30, 19% said political violence can sometimes be justified, compared to just 11% of Americans overall. 
• Violence in response to speech:
  • A September 2025 survey by the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression (FIRE) found that a record 34% of college students believe that using violence to stop a campus speech is acceptable, at least in rare cases. This represents a 50% increase over the last five years.
  • This trend cuts across partisan lines, with increased acceptance of violence by both right- and left-leaning students.
• Political motivations and burnout:
  • A September 2025 study in the journal Psychology of Violence linked workplace burnout and systemic frustration to a willingness to justify extreme violence. The study was prompted by a 2024 poll that found 41% of young adults viewed the murder of a CEO as acceptable.
• Violence for social change:
  • The Edelman Trust Barometer in January 2025 reported that 55% of 18–34-year-olds approve of violence, property damage, or misinformation as tools for social change. Among Gen Z, 31% believe violence is an appropriate way to drive change. 

Potential contributing factors

• Erosion of trust in democracy: A May 2024 Citizen Data survey found that only 62% of Gen Z voters feel that living in a democracy is important, significantly lower than older generations. This lack of confidence may contribute to the belief that traditional democratic processes are ineffective, making violence a more acceptable alternative.
• Exposure to violent content: A 2024 Youth Endowment Fund report in the UK found that 70% of teens saw real-life violence on social media. Crucially, 58% of those who saw weapons online felt that carrying weapons was “normal,” and 39% said it made them more likely to carry a weapon themselves.
• Systemic frustration: The Edelman Trust Barometer links increased acceptance of violence to a deep-seated frustration and the perception that the political system is not working for them.
• Social media algorithms: Researchers point to social media algorithms that promote violent content, normalizing it and increasing exposure among young users, even if they aren’t actively searching for it. 

America, we have a problem. The world has a problem. Our children have been desensitized to violent content on tv, video games, and real world violence displayed on social media. Mothers and fathers, I plead with you to keep smart devices out of your children’s hands as long as you can. Keep them off social media until they’re 16 or older. Have parental software on all devices to protect against the filth that exists online. Take your children to church weekly. Pray with them daily. Apply Deuteronomy 6: 6-9 in your household.

“These commandments that I give you today are to be on your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates.”

While there are numerous indicators that we’re beginning to win back the youth to conservative/biblical values, we must be vigilant. We must do more. The survey data shared should give every parent reason to pause and ask, “Am I doing enough?” The world is broken, and we need Jesus.