Joe Scarborough’s segment on Conservative Think Tanks, which pointed out that most political violence and killing in the country is from the Right-wing.
Right-wing extremist causes most political violence.
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Summary
Joe Scarborough dismantled the right-wing narrative by citing research from conservative think tanks showing that political violence in America overwhelmingly comes from right-wing extremists, not the left. This undeniable reality underscores the danger of MAGA rhetoric and the GOP’s complicity in fueling extremism.
- Conservative think tanks confirm right-wing extremists are responsible for most political violence.
- Joe Scarborough used their own data to confront GOP hypocrisy on MSNBC.
- Right-wing media continues to deflect by blaming the left and minorities.
- The data proves far-right movements, not antifa or BLM, drive domestic terrorism.
- Progressives argue that America must confront this threat honestly to protect democracy.
In truth, right-wing extremism has been the single most significant source of political violence and terrorism in the United States for decades. Progressives must continue exposing these facts, pushing back against media false equivalencies, and demanding accountability from leaders who embolden violence instead of condemning it.
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The data is unambiguous: right-wing extremists, not leftists or social justice activists, are responsible for the vast majority of political violence in the United States. When Joe Scarborough recently highlighted findings from conservative think tanks on his MSNBC segment, he stripped away the veneer of Republican talking points. He exposed the rot at the center of today’s GOP. Scarborough’s rebuke matters because it relies on the right’s own research institutions—organizations conservatives cannot easily dismiss as “liberal propaganda.”
For decades, right-wing media outlets and politicians have pushed the narrative that antifa, Black Lives Matter activists, and leftist protestors are the primary source of violence in America. But this is a deliberate distortion. Reports from the FBI, the Department of Homeland Security, and independent watchdogs like the Anti-Defamation League consistently reveal the opposite: that far-right extremists, white supremacist groups, and militia organizations account for the overwhelming majority of politically motivated killings and domestic terror plots.
In fact, according to a 2023 ADL report, right-wing extremists were linked to 74% of extremist-related murders in the United States over the past decade. The Center for Strategic and International Studies found that nearly two-thirds of terrorist plots in recent years originated from right-wing extremists. These numbers do not lie. They speak to an organized, emboldened, and politically protected movement of violence on the far-right.
Scarborough’s use of conservative think tank data is significant because it disrupts the right’s defense mechanisms. The GOP can easily dismiss progressive voices, branding them as partisan or radical. But when their own ideological institutions confirm the facts, the denial collapses. This mirrors a broader pattern in American politics: progressives often stand alone in demanding accountability, while centrists and conservatives enable false equivalencies in the name of “balance.” Yet balance in the face of violence is not neutrality—it is complicity.
The rise of MAGA extremism has created a climate in which violence is not only tolerated but encouraged. From the January 6th insurrection to armed militia standoffs, the Republican Party has become increasingly captive to a base radicalized by misinformation and fear. Conservative leaders may occasionally offer half-hearted condemnations, but they consistently avoid naming the threat: white supremacist, right-wing extremism. Instead, they weaponize fear against immigrants, LGBTQ+ people, and racial justice advocates, scapegoating communities that have little to do with actual violence.
Progressives understand that the survival of democracy depends on truth-telling. A democratic system cannot endure if one of its major parties shelters violent extremists while demonizing those who fight for equality. Scarborough’s segment serves as a rare but essential reminder that even voices within the conservative establishment can no longer deny reality. Facts, after all, are stubborn things.
The path forward requires more than acknowledgment. The U.S. must confront right-wing extremism with the seriousness it demands—through law enforcement, counter-extremism programs, and cultural change. But it also requires dismantling the structures of disinformation that allow lies to fester. As long as Fox News, talk radio, and social media echo chambers normalize extremism, the threat will persist.
Progressives must seize this moment to reframe the debate. Political violence is not “both sides.” It is not “antifa vs. Proud Boys.” The truth is that the far-right has been the consistent driver of terror, fueled by reactionary politics and legitimized by a Republican Party too cowardly or complicit to act. The future of American democracy rests on exposing this reality and mobilizing against it.
