Poll: 38% Say Murder of Trump Would Be at Least Somewhat Justified, 56% Among Left-of-Center Respondents

A survey released in April 2025 revealed that some respondents said it would be at least somewhat justified to murder President Donald Trump, while federal authorities continue investigating an attempted shooting at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner involving a suspect who allegedly expressed intentions to target Trump administration officials.

The Network Contagion Research Institute (NCRI) and Rutgers University’s Social Perception Lab found that 38 percent and 31 percent of respondents said it would be at least somewhat justified to murder President Donald Trump and Elon Musk, respectively. Among respondents who identified as left of center, 56 percent and 50 percent, respectively, expressed at least some level of justification.

The same survey indicated that nearly 40 percent of respondents viewed the destruction of a Tesla dealership during a protest as at least somewhat acceptable. It also reported that these beliefs were highly correlated with one another, as well as with justification of the murder of the UnitedHealthcare CEO and hyper-partisan left-wing ideology.

The polling summary referenced prior research released in December 2024, including a report titled “Praise for United Healthcare CEO Assassination Goes Viral,” which examined positive online reactions following the killing of CEO Brian Thompson.

The circulation of the survey comes following the shooting at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner in Washington, DC, on April 26, 2026. Authorities identified the suspect as 31-year-old Cole Tomas Allen of Torrance, California. According to officials, Allen charged through a magnetometer and shot a Secret Service agent at close range, though the agent was protected by a bulletproof vest and was later described as being in good condition.

WATCH: “He Was Like a Blur”

 Law enforcement officials said Allen had traveled to Washington, DC, by train and was in possession of multiple weapons. A senior administration official stated that Allen had written a manifesto outlining his intentions to target members of the Trump administration. Reports also indicated he had attended a “No Kings” protest and maintained social media activity referencing political grievances.

Federal records showed that Allen made a $25 donation in 2024 through ActBlue, earmarked for then–Vice President Kamala Harris’s presidential campaign

White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said the attack followed years of escalating rhetoric, stating that “this political violence stems from a systemic demonization” of President Trump and that such language has “helped to legitimize this violence.” 

WATCH — Disgusting! Karoline Leavitt Lists Violent Rhetoric from Leftist Officials

 The shooting also drew a response from former President Barack Obama, who wrote that Americans should “reject the idea that violence has any place in our democracy” and expressed gratitude that the injured Secret Service agent would recover. But Obama added that “we don’t yet have the details about the motives” behind the attack. His statement drew immediate pushback from Trump administration officials and Republican lawmakers, who pointed to reports that the suspect had allegedly written a manifesto targeting President Trump and his administration. EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin said, “Let’s not pretend to be this clueless about motive,” while Sen. Mike Lee (R-UT) added, “It was politically motivated. He made that pretty clear.”

Separately, First Lady Melania Trump and President Trump condemned remarks made by late-night host Jimmy Kimmel, who said during a recent broadcast the first lady had “a glow like an expectant widow.” Melania Trump called the comments “hateful and violent rhetoric” that “deepens the political sickness within America,” described Kimmel as “a coward,” and urged ABC to “take a stand,” while President Trump said Kimmel “should be immediately fired by Disney and ABC.” The segment aired shortly before the shooting.

The incident disrupted future media programming, with CNN postponing its planned anti-Trump documentary “Imperial Presidency” in the immediate aftermath of the attempted attack, saying it would air at a later date.