Fact check: What were the most notable right-wing extremist attacks in the USA in 2022 and 2023?

1. Summary of the results

The most notable right-wing extremist attacks in the USA in 2022 and 2023 include the 2022 Buffalo supermarket shooting ^[1] and several incidents in 2023, such as the Allen, Texas, mall shooting and the Jacksonville, Florida, Dollar General store shooting, which resulted in a total of 11 deaths ^[2]. Right-wing extremists were responsible for all 17 extremist-related murders in 2023, with 15 of the 17 killings involving perpetrators or accomplices with white supremacist connections ^[2]. The threat of right-wing extremism is on the rise, with the majority of terrorist incidents between 1994 and 2020 attributed to right-wing perpetrators ^[3]. The decentralized nature of right-wing terrorism, the use of online platforms for recruitment and organization, and the adoption of tactics from foreign terrorist organizations are contributing factors to the escalating threat ^[3]. The 2024 election cycle will be an attractive target for threat actors, according to the Homeland Threat Assessment 2025 report ^[4].

2. Missing context/alternative viewpoints

Some sources do not provide specific information on right-wing extremist attacks in 2022 and 2023, instead discussing the broader threat of terrorism and violent extremism ^{[3] [4]}. Alternative viewpoints are presented in sources that compare political violence by left-wing, right-wing, and Islamist extremists, finding that radical acts perpetrated by individuals associated with left-wing causes are less likely to be violent ^[5]. The role of online platforms in facilitating right-wing extremism is not thoroughly explored in the provided analyses, but it is mentioned as a factor in the decentralized nature of right-wing terrorism ^[3]. The impact of the COVID-19 crisis on the rise of right-wing extremism is also not fully addressed, although it is noted as a potential factor in the escalating terrorism problem ^[3].

3. Potential misinformation/bias in the original statement

The original statement may be too narrow in focus, as it only asks about right-wing extremist attacks in 2022 and 2023, without considering the broader context of terrorism and violent extremism ^{[3] [4]}. Some sources may have a bias towards emphasizing the threat of right-wing extremism, while downplaying the threat of other forms of extremism ^{[1] [2]}. The Anti-Defamation League (ADL), which is the source of several analyses ^{[1] [2]}, may have a particular interest in highlighting the threat of right-wing extremism, given its mission to combat anti-Semitism and hate groups ^[1]. The CSIS brief may also have a bias towards emphasizing the growing threat of right-wing extremism, as it is a think tank that focuses on national security and defense issues ^[3].