ThinkTankWeekly

Politically Motivated Killers: 51 Years of Terrorist Murders on US Soil, 1975–2025

CATO | 2026-02-22 | society

Topics: Trade, United States

Visit original source

ThinkTankWeekly provides a curated entry and summary only. Full text and PDF remain on the publisher's website.

English Summary

This report argues that politically motivated terrorism remains a minuscule and overstated threat to Americans, accounting for only 0.35% of all murders between 1975 and 2025. Drawing on 51 years of data, the analysis shows that 88% of terrorist fatalities resulted from just two extreme events—9/11 and the Oklahoma City bombing—while the overall frequency of attacks has not significantly increased over time. Consequently, the author concludes that expanding federal domestic counterterrorism efforts or targeting specific political groups is a disproportionate response that threatens civil liberties without a sound empirical basis.

中文摘要

本報告指出,政治動機的恐怖主義對美國民眾而言仍是一項極微小且被誇大的威脅,在 1975 年至 2025 年間僅佔所有謀殺案件的 0.35%。根據長達 51 年的數據分析顯示,88% 的恐怖活動死亡人數源於兩起極端事件:九一一襲擊事件與奧克拉荷馬市爆炸案,且攻擊的整體頻率隨時間推移並未顯著增加。因此,作者認為擴大聯邦政府的國內反恐力道或針對特定政治團體,乃是缺乏穩固實證基礎且威脅公民自由的不對等回應。

Related Entries

  1. 1.

    The article outlines how a successful modern foreign policy career requires blending traditional diplomatic expertise with private sector acumen. Juster's career trajectory—from international law to high-stakes diplomacy (e.g., the Gulf War) and subsequently to the technology sector—demonstrates this synthesis. Key evidence includes his work managing complex negotiations under duress and his involvement in co-founding the U.S.-India High Technology Group. The implication for policy is that effective geopolitical strategy must actively integrate private sector knowledge and technological considerations to manage modern economic and security challenges.

    Read at CFR

  2. 2.
    2026-05-18 | economy | 2026-W20 | Topics: Europe, United States, Economy

    The Brookings report argues that closing long-term fiscal deficits cannot be achieved solely by taxing high earners or corporations. Analysis shows that the required savings necessitate broad-based tax increases that would significantly impact middle and lower-income families, as targeted taxes on the wealthy are insufficient. The report notes that high-tax OECD nations achieve high revenues through broad consumption taxes (like VAT) rather than exclusively through highly progressive taxes on the rich. Consequently, any major tax-funded deficit solution would impose a substantial burden on the working class, potentially without the comprehensive social benefits enjoyed by European counterparts.

    Read at Brookings

  3. 3.
    2026-05-18 | china_indopacific | 2026-W20 | Topics: AI, China, Climate, Europe, Indo-Pacific, Middle East, Nuclear, Russia, Taiwan, Trade, Ukraine, United States

    The analysis concludes that China will hold the upper hand at the upcoming Trump-Xi summit, leveraging its dominance over critical minerals, rare earths, and magnet supply chains. This geopolitical leverage, combined with global instability (such as the Iran conflict), allows Beijing to dictate terms and buy time to consolidate its technological and industrial self-sufficiency. Strategically, the U.S. must avoid granting China a managed equilibrium by maintaining 'maximum pressure' on key sectors like AI and tech, rather than seeking broad agreements that could undermine American leadership.

    Read at CFR

  4. 4.
    2026-05-18 | middle_east | 2026-W20 | Topics: Middle East, Russia, Trade, Ukraine, United States

    The article argues that the ongoing Iran War has triggered a severe global hunger crisis, exacerbated by U.S. aid cuts and policy neglect, pushing millions to the brink of starvation. Key evidence includes the termination of U.S. support in countries like Afghanistan, Somalia, and Yemen, coupled with supply chain disruptions and massive cost increases across the region. Policy recommendations are urgent: the U.S. must immediately deploy its $5.4 billion in unspent humanitarian funds, establish a humanitarian corridor through the Strait of Hormuz, and reinstate life-saving aid to critical nations.

    Read at CFR

  5. 5.
    2026-05-18 | china_indopacific | 2026-W20 | Topics: China, Indo-Pacific, Middle East, NATO, Nuclear, Russia, Taiwan, Trade, Ukraine

    The analysis cautions that the upcoming Trump-Xi summit must not result in short-term strategic concessions for the US, which risks undermining long-term stability. China is rapidly consolidating global power, leveraging US policy shifts and increasing its assertiveness across the Indo-Pacific and in technology. Strategically, the US must prioritize addressing the immediate crisis in Iran, where China holds significant leverage, and must also focus on joint cooperation on AI. Ultimately, the US must resist political impulses and pursue a robust strategy to counter China's growing challenge to global dominance.

    Read at Chatham House