What are the deadliest right-wing extremist attacks in the US since 2020 and their motives?
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Executive summary
Since 2020, reporting and datasets compiled by researchers and advocacy groups show that the deadliest politically motivated violence in the United States has overwhelmingly come from right‑wing extremists, particularly white supremacists and anti‑government actors [1] [2]. Independent analyses and government reviews place the majority of domestic terrorism fatalities across recent decades with right‑wing actors, and organizations such as the ADL documented 67 right‑wing incidents from 2017–2022, with rising totals in 2020–2022 [1] [3].
1. The deadliest single events since 2020 — what reporting highlights
Major, single‑day mass‑casualty attacks in the U.S. in recent years that analysts cite as emblematic of right‑wing lethality include mass shootings and violent plots attributed to white supremacists and anti‑immigrant actors; researchers and outlets emphasize that right‑wing attackers produced the most lethal incidents and spates of violence in 2019–2020 and after [2] [3]. The ADL’s dataset and CSIS reporting show spikes in right‑wing incidents in 2020 and a concentration of lethal attacks carried out by lone perpetrators using firearms [1] [2].
2. Motives identified by analysts — white supremacy, anti‑government, conspiracy mix
Scholars and government studies identify several recurring motive clusters for right‑wing violence: racial or ethnonationalist hatred (white supremacy), anti‑immigrant sentiment, anti‑government militancy and “grievance” mixes that pull in conspiracy theories like QAnon. CSIS and Reuters characterize many perpetrators as “grab‑bag” extremists combining personal grievance with right‑wing conspiracism; ADL likewise finds white supremacist ideology and anti‑government strands dominating incidents (p1_s8; p9_s? not provided — available sources do not mention p9_s?; [1]; p9 note: user-supplied list includes Reuters as [4] — see p1_s9). Reuters investigative reporting frames a new cohort of self‑made radicals mixing conspiracy and grievance as drivers of the deadliest wave of political violence [4].
3. Patterns: lone actors, firearms, and targets
Data show the deadliest right‑wing attacks are often executed by lone actors or small, loose cells using firearms; ADL notes single perpetrators were most deadly and firearms were the most popular weapon in 27 of 67 right‑wing incidents from 2017–2022 [1]. Targets trend toward marginalized communities, public gatherings, and symbolic political sites — patterns highlighted in ADL and CSIS analyses of incidents clustered in 2019–2020 [1] [2].
4. How researchers rank “deadliest” and the data limits
Different projects use distinct definitions: some count single‑day, mass‑fatality events; others catalog plots, foiled attacks and murders over periods. The ADL compiles incidents from 2017–2022; CSIS assembled a separate dataset going back to 1994 and emphasized that right‑wing plots surged into 2019–2020 [1] [2]. These methodological differences mean lists of “deadliest” attacks can vary across sources; available sources do not provide a single authoritative ranked list strictly limited to 2020–present.
5. Contrasting views and caveats from skeptics and other analysts
Some commentators and institutions caution about data framing and comparability. NPR reports that a now‑discontinued DHS‑funded database was criticized by officials for alleged bias in coding and emphasis, and analysts warn that counts depend on coding choices and transparency about motives [5]. Think‑tank and academic work nonetheless converge on the central finding that right‑wing violence has been the more lethal threat in recent years [3] [6].
6. Historical context: why 2020 matters in trend lines
Analysts trace the post‑2020 rise in right‑wing incidents to an upswing in plots and attacks in 2019–2020 and attribute part of the change to politicized environments, online radicalization and militia‑style organizing; CSIS found right‑wing attackers committed nearly two‑thirds of attacks in 2019 and over 90% of recorded plots and attacks in early 2020 [2]. The ADL documents an increase in incidents in 2020–2022 relative to earlier periods [1].
7. What remains uncertain and what reporting doesn’t say
Available sources do not present a single, source‑agreed roster that lists every “deadliest” right‑wing attack strictly since 2020 with uniform casualty tallies; methodological differences and some disputed incident codings mean exact rankings vary by dataset [1] [2] [5]. Sources do not uniformly report every perpetrator’s motive in identical language; analysts often infer motives from manifestos, statements or investigative findings [1] [2].
8. What to watch — surveillance, policy and narratives
Government and watchdog reporting indicate investigators are increasing domestic‑terrorism scrutiny — FBI investigations rose notably after 2020 — and policy debates about labeling and countermeasures are intensifying [7] [8]. Watch for further releases from ADL, CSIS and federal agencies that may refine counts, clarify motive attributions, and produce the more granular, source‑comparable lists readers seek [1] [2] [7].
Sources cited: ADL reporting and dataset [1]; CSIS analyses [2] [5]; Reuters investigation [4]; The Conversation/analyst summaries and broader trend work [3]; GAO and other government context on investigations [7]; NPR discussion of data caveats [5].