Record Surge in Threats Against U.S. Congress Members Signals Escalating Political Violence

Threats against members of Congress, their families, staff, and the U.S. Capitol complex surged dramatically in 2025, with the U.S. Capitol Police reporting more than 5,000 additional incidents compared to 2024.

According to a Tuesday news release from the Capitol Police, the agency’s Threat Assessment Section investigated 14,938 “concerning” statements, behaviors, and communications during 2025—a sharp increase from the 9,474 threats assessed in 2024 and marking the third consecutive year of rising incidents.

The threats range from hostile social media posts to direct targeting of lawmakers, underscoring growing security concerns amid heightened political tensions nationwide.

Capitol Police Chief Michael Sullivan stated that the department has expanded coordination with law enforcement agencies across the country to enhance protection for members of Congress, particularly when they are outside Washington, D.C. “We want to make sure agencies have the resources they need to be able to enhance protection, which is critical to the democratic process,” Sullivan said.

The report was released hours before Representative Ilhan Omar, D-Minn., was sprayed with an unidentified liquid during a town hall event in Minneapolis on Tuesday.

The findings coincide with multiple high-profile political violence incidents over the past 18 months, including:
– The killing of conservative leader Charlie Kirk at a college campus event
– The shooting of two Minnesota state lawmakers last summer that left one dead
– An arson attack on the Pennsylvania governor’s mansion while Gov. Josh Shapiro and his family were inside

During the 2024 presidential campaign, President Donald Trump was shot at a political rally in an attempted assassination.

Capitol Police identified reducing violent political rhetoric as one of the most effective strategies to address rising threat levels, a position echoed by lawmakers from both parties following recent acts of violence.

The department has expanded its Protective and Intelligence Operations Center, launched in 2024, which operates around the clock to assess threats against lawmakers in coordination with the House and Senate sergeants-at-arms.

Jeanita Mitchell, acting assistant chief of police for Protective and Intelligence Operations, added: “We, and both sergeants-at-arms, are seeing an increase of reporting through our outreach efforts with the congressional community.”