Experts claim that government and private think tanks are emphasizing the danger of the right-wing while downplaying the violence of the left.

Critics argue that researchers in government and private think tanks have exaggerated the threat of "far-right extremists" while downplaying the growing danger of left-wing violence. They point to the two assassination attempts against former President Trump as evidence of the danger posed by some on the left.

"According to Zach Smith, a legal fellow at Heritage Foundation, it is clear that any form of violence is unacceptable. It should not be tolerated in our country, and while some on the left have expressed this sentiment, their actions do not align with their words. Specifically, they have not provided the necessary resources or shown the necessary willingness to confront left-wing extremists."

Smith stated that it is appropriate to condemn violence on the left in relation to threats against Donald Trump and his associates.

"Unfortunately, the heated rhetoric that some on the left use against Donald Trump, such as "Donald Trump is a threat to democracy," has led to tragic actions against him and others who support him. If those on the left want to focus on something, they should start by ratcheting down the rhetoric."

The second alleged Trump gunman who pointed an assault rifle through a chain-link fence 500 yards away from where Trump was playing golf on Sunday, identified as Ryan Routh, supported Democrat candidates and expressed anti-Trump sentiments on his social media accounts, stating "Democracy is on the ballot" and "we cannot lose."

"Smith stated that the left-wing campus acts of violence and intimidation of Jewish students are intolerable and should receive louder condemnation. However, he noted that there is a double standard that plays out too often today."

Several organizations, including the Justice Department's National Institute of Justice (NIJ), the Government Accountability Office (GAO), the Anti-Defamation League (ADL) and the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), have published reports condemning right-wing violence and citing a rise in right-wing attacks in the last few years.

Since 1990, far-right extremists have been responsible for more ideologically motivated homicides than far-left or radical Islamist groups, according to the NIJ.

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security's recent threat assessment concluded that domestic violent extremists pose a significant threat and identified COVID-19 pandemic-related stressors, long-standing ideological grievances related to immigration, and narratives surrounding electoral fraud as potential triggers for violent actions.

Hans A. von Spakovsky, a senior legal fellow at Heritage Foundation, expressed astonishment to Planet Chronicle Digital about the claim being made.

""BLM and Antifa were responsible for arson riots and violence in cities across America, while I don't recall any right-wing groups engaging in such activities," he said."

"The fear we should have today is of the extreme left-wing violence that we have seen over the past few years in cities all across the country and now in two assassination attempts on a major candidate of one of the two major political parties, running for president," von Spakovsky stated.

The number of right-wing extremist terror incidents in the U.S. has increased dramatically in recent years, from seven incidents in 2005-2007 to 40 in 2020-2022, according to a 2023 ADL report. Additionally, CharityWatch.org reports that ADL receives a significant portion, up to 24%, of its "cash revenue," from "government sources."

"The ADL, a nonpartisan organization, monitors extremism from both the far left and far right, and has extensive resources and backgrounders on individuals, groups, and movements across the ideological spectrum, as an ADL spokesperson told Planet Chronicle Digital."

In 2020, CSIS stated that White supremacists pose the greatest threat based on their data set of terrorist incidents, while anarchists and Islamic State and al Qaeda-inspired religious extremists could also present a potential threat.

Since 1994, the U.S. has had a data set of all terrorist attacks and plots, as stated by a senior CSIS spokesperson in an email.

CSIS receives funding from U.S. government entities, as well as international ally and partner governments, in addition to being a private nonprofit that derives most of its funding from donations and private sources, according to its website.

The GAO reported that between 2010 and 2021, the Department of Homeland Security recorded 231 domestic terrorism incidents, with 35% of them being racially- or ethnically-motivated, resulting in the highest death toll.

According to the GAO, 15 deaths were caused by anti-government or anti-authority motivated violent extremism, which was the second most common type of extremism.