Political violence is not just a passing storm but a chilling new norm, according to a seasoned former FBI agent.
As 2026 dawns, warnings from ex-FBI agent Jonathan Gilliam paint a grim picture of escalating ideological clashes, marked by targeted attacks and assassinations that have rocked the nation in recent years, as Fox News reports.
These shocking events started back in 2024, when then-candidate Donald Trump narrowly escaped two assassination attempts. The first, on July 13, saw a 20-year-old named Thomas Crooks fire shots at a rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, grazing Trump’s ear with a bullet. The second, on Sept. 15, involved 58-year-old Ryan Routh, apprehended near Trump International Golf Club in West Palm Beach, Florida, armed and positioned in a sniper’s hide.
These brazen acts against a sitting president set a dangerous tone, signaling that political disagreements could turn deadly. It’s a stark reminder that the stakes of public discourse have never been higher.
Fast forward to 2025, and the violence intensified with the tragic killing of conservative influencer and Turning Point USA founder Charlie Kirk on September 10. Authorities labeled it a “political assassination,” though the motive remains undisclosed. Investigators did reveal a chilling detail—one bullet allegedly used by suspect Tyler Robinson bore the engraved taunt, “Hey fascist, catch.”
That same month, late September 2025, the violence spread to federal targets with a horrifying attack on an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) facility. A gunman opened fire, killing one detainee and injuring two others, while the suspect, Joshua Jahn, reportedly had a note expressing intent to instill “real terror” in ICE agents by invoking fears of sniper attacks.
Jahn allegedly used apps to track ICE agents, showing premeditation that sends shivers down the spine. This incident is part of a broader surge, with the Department of Homeland Security reporting a staggering 1,150% increase in assaults on ICE officers in 2025 compared to prior years under different administration policies.
What’s driving this? Gilliam offers a sobering perspective: “I believe that political violence, as we know it now, has just started.”
Gilliam’s warning isn’t mere speculation—it’s grounded in a pattern of behavior that’s becoming disturbingly accepted. He points to how targeted attacks are silencing dialogue, stating, “So when we look now at the political violence that's happening, we're also seeing much more violent behavior, very targeted behavior.”
This normalization is the real danger, as Gilliam sees it. When society starts shrugging at violence as a means to an end, we’re on a slippery slope where dissent becomes a death sentence.
Consider the cultural shift—progressive agendas often frame such acts as resistance, but at what cost? When violence targets specific groups or individuals to shut down conversation, it’s not justice; it’s tyranny dressed up as principle.
The data backs up Gilliam’s grim outlook. From ICE facilities to high-profile figures like Kirk and Trump, the intent is clear: intimidate, silence, and destroy. It’s a tactic that undermines the very foundation of a free society.
Yet, there’s a quiet plea beneath the chaos for Americans to reject this path. Violence begets violence, and if we let it fester, we risk losing the ability to disagree without drawing blood.
So, where do we go from here as 2026 unfolds? Gilliam’s caution is a call to action—reject the normalization of political violence before it’s too late. Let’s hope America heeds this warning and chooses words over weapons.
As 2026 begins, let’s stand firm against this rising tide of political violence and reclaim a nation where ideas, not bullets, shape our future.
